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| William Roache trial: Coronation Street star 'made woman perform sex act as he drove her home in his Rolls-Royce' | William Roache trial: Coronation Street star 'made woman perform sex act as he drove her home in his Rolls-Royce' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A woman allegedly sexually assaulted by Coronation Street actor William Roache said she felt like “a coward” for not going to the police before she did. | A woman allegedly sexually assaulted by Coronation Street actor William Roache said she felt like “a coward” for not going to the police before she did. |
| The woman claims the actor made her perform a sex act on him while he drove her home in his Rolls-Royce, some time between June 1968 and September 1971. | The woman claims the actor made her perform a sex act on him while he drove her home in his Rolls-Royce, some time between June 1968 and September 1971. |
| Jurors at Preston Crown Court heard she contacted the police on 1 May last year, the day that it emerged Mr Roache had been arrested on suspicion of raping a young girl. | Jurors at Preston Crown Court heard she contacted the police on 1 May last year, the day that it emerged Mr Roache had been arrested on suspicion of raping a young girl. |
| During the proceedings she was asked by prosecutor Anne Whyte if the arrest had any effect. | During the proceedings she was asked by prosecutor Anne Whyte if the arrest had any effect. |
| She replied: “She [the other alleged victim] made me feel a coward because she came forward first. She had guts to do it”. | She replied: “She [the other alleged victim] made me feel a coward because she came forward first. She had guts to do it”. |
| Earlier, in a police interview played to the court, the woman said she was with a friend autograph-hunting outside Granada Studios in Manchester when Mr Roache - who plays Ken Barlow in Coronation Street - offered them a lift home in his Silver Cloud Rolls Royce. | Earlier, in a police interview played to the court, the woman said she was with a friend autograph-hunting outside Granada Studios in Manchester when Mr Roache - who plays Ken Barlow in Coronation Street - offered them a lift home in his Silver Cloud Rolls Royce. |
| The witness's sister, who is two years older, claimed Mr Roache indecently assaulted her on a separate occasion when she was aged 14, after they were both invited inside the studios by the defendant. | The witness's sister, who is two years older, claimed Mr Roache indecently assaulted her on a separate occasion when she was aged 14, after they were both invited inside the studios by the defendant. |
| Speaking of the alleged incident in the Rolls-Royce, she said she "froze" after Roache "fumbled with his flies" and she was "absolutely petrified". | Speaking of the alleged incident in the Rolls-Royce, she said she "froze" after Roache "fumbled with his flies" and she was "absolutely petrified". |
| "You feel stupid because you had been in that position weeks ago," she said. | "You feel stupid because you had been in that position weeks ago," she said. |
| "That was the second time I actually met or had dealings with William Roache. | "That was the second time I actually met or had dealings with William Roache. |
| "The first time we went with [my sister]." | "The first time we went with [my sister]." |
| After she got out of the Rolls-Royce when she said she was offered half a crown for the bus ride home, she said she told her friend: “God, [name]. Did you see what happened then? I'm sure she said 'Yes'," the woman told the court. | After she got out of the Rolls-Royce when she said she was offered half a crown for the bus ride home, she said she told her friend: “God, [name]. Did you see what happened then? I'm sure she said 'Yes'," the woman told the court. |
| Years later she said she told her husband about the incident, and he urged her to do something about it but she refused. | Years later she said she told her husband about the incident, and he urged her to do something about it but she refused. |
| Asked by the female officer why she had not previously come forward, she answered: "Because I feel intimidated. People think he [Roache] is some kind of super actor and he is so good and so lovely. | Asked by the female officer why she had not previously come forward, she answered: "Because I feel intimidated. People think he [Roache] is some kind of super actor and he is so good and so lovely. |
| "You don't stand a chance if you come forward and if I did go to court," she said. | "You don't stand a chance if you come forward and if I did go to court," she said. |
| The officer continued: “How do you feel about it now?” | The officer continued: “How do you feel about it now?” |
| “I hate him,” the woman said. | “I hate him,” the woman said. |
| Actors William Roache and Anne Reid who play Ken and Valerie Barlow in the English television soap opera 'Coronation Street'. | Actors William Roache and Anne Reid who play Ken and Valerie Barlow in the English television soap opera 'Coronation Street'. |
| Giving evidence to Miss Whyte, she said a television interview that Mr Roache had given had “really annoyed her.” | Giving evidence to Miss Whyte, she said a television interview that Mr Roache had given had “really annoyed her.” |
| “He said young girls who were going through this, they are being punished from a previous life... something they had done." | “He said young girls who were going through this, they are being punished from a previous life... something they had done." |
| Miss Whyte asked the witness if any other comments by the defendant had affected her. | Miss Whyte asked the witness if any other comments by the defendant had affected her. |
| The complainant replied: “He said girls were always hanging around the studios and they were throwing themselves at them... star-struck. | The complainant replied: “He said girls were always hanging around the studios and they were throwing themselves at them... star-struck. |
| "The girls that we saw were like us. I can never say that I saw any girls throwing themselves at anyone. There were actually boys there as well," she said. | "The girls that we saw were like us. I can never say that I saw any girls throwing themselves at anyone. There were actually boys there as well," she said. |
| The court has heard that in March 2013 her husband had, without her knowledge, contacted the Sunday Mirror about what she had said about Mr Roache. | The court has heard that in March 2013 her husband had, without her knowledge, contacted the Sunday Mirror about what she had said about Mr Roache. |
| Louise Blackwell QC, cross-examining, said to the woman: ”What I am suggesting to you is that this just did not happen with Mr Roache.“ | Louise Blackwell QC, cross-examining, said to the woman: ”What I am suggesting to you is that this just did not happen with Mr Roache.“ |
| The witness, giving evidence via videolink, said: "It did... it happened. I am just so sorry I have left it so long to come forward." | |
| In tears, she added: ”I know I am telling the truth and the person you are defending knows I am telling the truth.“ | In tears, she added: ”I know I am telling the truth and the person you are defending knows I am telling the truth.“ |
| Mr Roache, 81, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, denies two counts of rape and five counts of indecent assault involving five complainants aged 16 and under, on dates between 1965 and 1971. | Mr Roache, 81, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, denies two counts of rape and five counts of indecent assault involving five complainants aged 16 and under, on dates between 1965 and 1971. |
| PA | PA |
| UK News in Pictures | UK News in Pictures |