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Michael Le Vell says legs 'went to jelly' over rape claim Michael Le Vell says he would not abuse 'in a million years'
(about 3 hours later)
Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell told police his "legs went to jelly" when he was accused of sexually abusing a young girl, a court has heard. Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell, who has been accused of raping a girl, has told a court he would "never" abuse a child "in a million years".
Mr Le Vell, 48, who is on trial under his real name Michael Turner, denies 12 offences, including five of rape.Mr Le Vell, 48, who is on trial under his real name Michael Turner, denies 12 offences, including five of rape.
Det Con Neil Rothwell told Manchester Crown Court that on arrest, Mr Le Vell dismissed the allegations as something he "couldn't do... in a million years". He told Manchester Crown Court that the claims by the girl had left him "like a lost soul" and he wanted "to get to the bottom of" why they had been made.
The girl, who cannot be named, alleges she was abused from age six to 14.The girl, who cannot be named, alleges she was abused from age six to 14.
The actor, from Hale in Greater Manchester, also faces three counts of indecent assault, two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual activity with a child.The actor, from Hale in Greater Manchester, also faces three counts of indecent assault, two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual activity with a child.
Det Con Rothwell, who interviewed Mr Le Vell after his arrest in September 2011, said the actor claimed he "honestly had not got a clue why she had made these allegations". 'I'm a bloke'
He said Mr Le Vell had said it was "not in me" to abuse the girl, and he "didn't know where the allegations had come from". Answering questions from Alisdair Williamson, defending, Mr Le Vell said he had kept an "unforgivable secret" that he had had "several one night stands" throughout his marriage.
The officer said the actor claimed that when he was confronted with the accusations by the girl's mother, "you could've just blown me over... my legs turned to jelly". He admitted he was a heavy drinker who would "go to the pub most nights".
The jury also heard Mr Le Vell admitted to police that he had been a heavy drinker for 30 years and had previously tried attending Alcoholics Anonymous "once or twice". "It's a working class mentality. I'm a bloke, that's the way I've been brought up," he said.
He added the allegations could cost him his job on the popular ITV drama, where he has played the role of Kevin Webster for the past three decades. He said he had been to Alcoholics Anonymous on two occasions and had lasted two weeks on each attempt.
Earlier, the court heard from Det Con Rothwell, who interviewed Mr Le Vell after his arrest in September 2011.
He said the actor had claimed he "honestly had not got a clue why she had made these allegations" and "didn't know where [they] had come from".
The officer said Mr Le Vell claimed that when he was confronted with the accusations by the girl's mother, "you could've just blown me over... my legs turned to jelly".
The jury also heard that Mr Le Vell said the allegations could cost him his job on the popular ITV drama, where he has played the role of Kevin Webster for the past three decades.
The trial continues.The trial continues.