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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Michael Le Vell tells court he is 'fighting for my life' | Michael Le Vell tells court he is 'fighting for my life' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has told a court the girl he has been accused of raping is "vindictive" and that he was "fighting for my life". | Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has told a court the girl he has been accused of raping is "vindictive" and that he was "fighting for my life". |
| 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. |
| Asked about the girl's claims, he said: "Never in a million years would I do anything like that." | Asked about the girl's claims, he said: "Never in a million years would I do anything like that." |
| Prosecution barrister at Manchester Crown Court, Eleanor Laws QC, accused him of "clutching at straws". | Prosecution barrister at Manchester Crown Court, Eleanor Laws QC, accused him of "clutching at straws". |
| The girl, who cannot be named, alleges she was abused from the age of six until she was 14. | The girl, who cannot be named, alleges she was abused from the age of six until she was 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. |
| 'I'm a bloke' | |
| Answering questions from Ms Laws, Mr Le Vell was asked how he felt at being accused of the allegations. | Answering questions from Ms Laws, Mr Le Vell was asked how he felt at being accused of the allegations. |
| "I'm devastated, I'm lost. I don't understand where it's come from. It's left such a big hole in life. | "I'm devastated, I'm lost. I don't understand where it's come from. It's left such a big hole in life. |
| "I'm like a lost soul and I still want to get to the bottom of why this has happened to me and why I'm being accused of this because I know none of this happened. | "I'm like a lost soul and I still want to get to the bottom of why this has happened to me and why I'm being accused of this because I know none of this happened. |
| "I have been walking around for the last two years just not knowing." | "I have been walking around for the last two years just not knowing." |
| "Never in a million years would I do anything like that." | "Never in a million years would I do anything like that." |
| Ms Laws said it had "never been more important" for him to be "persuasive", comparing that need in court to his acting. | Ms Laws said it had "never been more important" for him to be "persuasive", comparing that need in court to his acting. |
| He said he was "just here to tell the truth" and that in acting, "you never get put in a position like this". | He said he was "just here to tell the truth" and that in acting, "you never get put in a position like this". |
| "They never teach you to be here and face what I have been faced with for the last two years. No-one can teach you that. | "They never teach you to be here and face what I have been faced with for the last two years. No-one can teach you that. |
| "I'm fighting for my life." | "I'm fighting for my life." |
| Asked if he was a man with "demons", he replied: "It depends what you mean, if you mean demon drink, yes." | Asked if he was a man with "demons", he replied: "It depends what you mean, if you mean demon drink, yes." |
| "It's a working class mentality. I'm a bloke, that's the way I've been brought up," he said. | "It's a working class mentality. I'm a bloke, that's the way I've been brought up," he said. |
| Ms Laws said: "You're nothing like your screen character." | Ms Laws said: "You're nothing like your screen character." |
| "I don't pretend to be," he replied. | "I don't pretend to be," he replied. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |