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| Michael Le Vell raped young girl as she held teddy bear, court hears | Michael Le Vell raped young girl as she held teddy bear, court hears |
| (17 days later) | |
| The Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell raped a young girl as she clutched a teddy bear, a court has been told. | The Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell raped a young girl as she clutched a teddy bear, a court has been told. |
| He allegedly told her: "It's OK, just keep calm, stay asleep … I'm going to get rid of the evil." | He allegedly told her: "It's OK, just keep calm, stay asleep … I'm going to get rid of the evil." |
| The 48-year-old, who plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, is appearing at Manchester crown court under his real name, Michael Turner, and denies all the charges against him. | The 48-year-old, who plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, is appearing at Manchester crown court under his real name, Michael Turner, and denies all the charges against him. |
| He faces five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, and two each of sexual activity with a child and causing a child to engage in such activity. | He faces five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, and two each of sexual activity with a child and causing a child to engage in such activity. |
| Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, told the jury the abuse began when Le Vell slipped his hand under the girl's clothing. Afterwards Le Vell seemed happy, "as if it was giving him pleasure". | Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, told the jury the abuse began when Le Vell slipped his hand under the girl's clothing. Afterwards Le Vell seemed happy, "as if it was giving him pleasure". |
| The abuse progressed to Le Vell allegedly forcing the girl to touch him, with her "too frightened" to do anything to resist. | The abuse progressed to Le Vell allegedly forcing the girl to touch him, with her "too frightened" to do anything to resist. |
| The first time he raped the girl, she clutched one teddy while Le Vell put another one over her mouth, it is alleged. The jury heard that on another occasion Le Vell raped the girl orally. | The first time he raped the girl, she clutched one teddy while Le Vell put another one over her mouth, it is alleged. The jury heard that on another occasion Le Vell raped the girl orally. |
| Laws said that after the first rape the girl had nightmares and frequently wet the bed. "She talked to no one but her teddies about what had happened to her. She was scared if she told anyone she would get into trouble." | Laws said that after the first rape the girl had nightmares and frequently wet the bed. "She talked to no one but her teddies about what had happened to her. She was scared if she told anyone she would get into trouble." |
| Le Vell allegedly threatened her, telling her: "It's our little secret. No one needs to know, otherwise you'll be taken … You'll die and the evil will come over you." The child believed him, said Laws. | Le Vell allegedly threatened her, telling her: "It's our little secret. No one needs to know, otherwise you'll be taken … You'll die and the evil will come over you." The child believed him, said Laws. |
| The actor's alleged victim frequently broke down as she described a series of attacks that she said began years before she reached puberty. | The actor's alleged victim frequently broke down as she described a series of attacks that she said began years before she reached puberty. |
| At first he would walk around the bedroom, just looking at her. She would half-open her eyes and so realized it was him. "I remember being scared," she told the jury. "It just didn't feel quite right." | At first he would walk around the bedroom, just looking at her. She would half-open her eyes and so realized it was him. "I remember being scared," she told the jury. "It just didn't feel quite right." |
| Later, he would get in bed beside her and start moving his hand up and down her leg. "He would say: 'It's alright. You know I'll never do anything to hurt you. It's just getting rid of all the bad and all the evil.' | Later, he would get in bed beside her and start moving his hand up and down her leg. "He would say: 'It's alright. You know I'll never do anything to hurt you. It's just getting rid of all the bad and all the evil.' |
| "He was saying it was OK, it was safe and things like that. But it obviously wasn't. It didn't feel nice at all. It felt really bad and I didn't like it. He said it was our little secret. I was 16 when I first told someone." | "He was saying it was OK, it was safe and things like that. But it obviously wasn't. It didn't feel nice at all. It felt really bad and I didn't like it. He said it was our little secret. I was 16 when I first told someone." |
| She claimed that during one rape he prevented her from speaking by putting one of her favourite teddy bears over her mouth "so I could still breathe but not say anything". | She claimed that during one rape he prevented her from speaking by putting one of her favourite teddy bears over her mouth "so I could still breathe but not say anything". |
| "When it ended he just sort of got off, kissed my left cheek and then left. I was so in shock I felt as though I wasn't even in my body." | "When it ended he just sort of got off, kissed my left cheek and then left. I was so in shock I felt as though I wasn't even in my body." |
| The alleged victim said that after some of the attacks she would "start crying with my teddy bears and tell them what had happened". | The alleged victim said that after some of the attacks she would "start crying with my teddy bears and tell them what had happened". |
| She felt "more ashamed" when he raped her orally. "It felt more disgusting, more dirty," she told the jury. | She felt "more ashamed" when he raped her orally. "It felt more disgusting, more dirty," she told the jury. |
| The girl eventually told her mother what Le Vell had been doing to her while mother and daughter were attending a conference in London. | The girl eventually told her mother what Le Vell had been doing to her while mother and daughter were attending a conference in London. |
| "I told her he had raped me," she said. "She just burst into tears and gave me a cuddle. She said it was going to be okay. I was relieved. I thought: 'I'm not going to let it ruin any more of my life.' | "I told her he had raped me," she said. "She just burst into tears and gave me a cuddle. She said it was going to be okay. I was relieved. I thought: 'I'm not going to let it ruin any more of my life.' |
| "I'd felt as though I had done something wrong [because] he said there was evil in me. He made me feel I was a bad person and I wasn't." | "I'd felt as though I had done something wrong [because] he said there was evil in me. He made me feel I was a bad person and I wasn't." |
| The allegations against Le Vell emerged in September 2011. | The allegations against Le Vell emerged in September 2011. |
| A medical examination found no apparent damage to the girl's hymen. But Laws said: "It is important to understand that a substantial proportion of sexually abused children have no abnormal signs. Children can be confused as to what full sexual intercourse really involves." | A medical examination found no apparent damage to the girl's hymen. But Laws said: "It is important to understand that a substantial proportion of sexually abused children have no abnormal signs. Children can be confused as to what full sexual intercourse really involves." |
| It was common for a child to misinterpret simulated or attempted intercourse for full penetration. "That is what the Crown suggest has happened in this case," Laws said. | It was common for a child to misinterpret simulated or attempted intercourse for full penetration. "That is what the Crown suggest has happened in this case," Laws said. |
| Le Vell told police his accuser was "a fantasist and an attention seeker and he thought this was just another of her fantasies". | Le Vell told police his accuser was "a fantasist and an attention seeker and he thought this was just another of her fantasies". |
| The actor, of Hale, Greater Manchester, accepted that he drank too much and had tried Alcoholics Anonymous in the past, though it had not worked for him. | The actor, of Hale, Greater Manchester, accepted that he drank too much and had tried Alcoholics Anonymous in the past, though it had not worked for him. |
| Le Vell sat in the glass-panelled dock wearing a light grey suit and pink tie, with a charcoal grey scarf draped over his shoulders. He leaned forward intently in the dock as the girl gave her evidence and occasionally shook his head. | Le Vell sat in the glass-panelled dock wearing a light grey suit and pink tie, with a charcoal grey scarf draped over his shoulders. He leaned forward intently in the dock as the girl gave her evidence and occasionally shook his head. |
| Earlier, Judge Michael Henshell had emphasised to the provisional jury that the man on trial was Michael Turner, rather than the character he plays in Coronation Street. He went on to urge them to tell him if they were avid fans of the actor, and gave them 15 minutes to think about it. "If any of you want to be excused, I will excuse you." | Earlier, Judge Michael Henshell had emphasised to the provisional jury that the man on trial was Michael Turner, rather than the character he plays in Coronation Street. He went on to urge them to tell him if they were avid fans of the actor, and gave them 15 minutes to think about it. "If any of you want to be excused, I will excuse you." |
| Two female jurors were subsequently excused and a further two jurors selected. | Two female jurors were subsequently excused and a further two jurors selected. |
| The girl is due to be cross-examined on Tuesday. The trial continues. | The girl is due to be cross-examined on Tuesday. The trial continues. |
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