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Nigel Evans trial: MP 'put hand down victim's trousers' | Nigel Evans trial: MP 'put hand down victim's trousers' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A man who alleges he was sexually abused by MP Nigel Evans has told a court the politician put his hand down his trousers twice during a night out in Soho. | A man who alleges he was sexually abused by MP Nigel Evans has told a court the politician put his hand down his trousers twice during a night out in Soho. |
The former deputy speaker of the House of Commons had a "reputation", Preston Crown Court heard. | The former deputy speaker of the House of Commons had a "reputation", Preston Crown Court heard. |
The man said he dismissed the incident as "just Nigel being drunken Nigel". | The man said he dismissed the incident as "just Nigel being drunken Nigel". |
Mr Evans, 56, denies one count of rape, two counts of indecent assault and six of sexual assault. | Mr Evans, 56, denies one count of rape, two counts of indecent assault and six of sexual assault. |
The charges relate to incidents involving seven men, between 2002 and 2013. | |
The alleged victim told the court and that at first he thought Mr Evans was being tactile, during the night out in Soho in 2002, but it was "not a sort of comedy squeeze". | |
The openly gay man said at the time it was an "open secret" in Westminster that the politician was gay. | The openly gay man said at the time it was an "open secret" in Westminster that the politician was gay. |
'Punch him' | 'Punch him' |
He told the jury they were out with friends when Mr Evans, then the shadow secretary of state for Wales, indecently assaulted him by putting his hand down his trousers at a pub called the Sanctuary on Greek Street in Soho. | |
"He had definitely been drinking, he was acting very drunk and I do remember he seemed to sober up quite quickly," he said. | "He had definitely been drinking, he was acting very drunk and I do remember he seemed to sober up quite quickly," he said. |
Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, asked the man when he became first aware of something untoward. | Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, asked the man when he became first aware of something untoward. |
He said: "That some fingers had gone down my trousers. He had a reputation. | He said: "That some fingers had gone down my trousers. He had a reputation. |
"I walked away rather than make a scene. I did not want him to think I was interested." | "I walked away rather than make a scene. I did not want him to think I was interested." |
He told the court: "I was annoyed by it. | He told the court: "I was annoyed by it. |
"I thought if I don't walk away I'm going to hit him." | "I thought if I don't walk away I'm going to hit him." |
The man said the MP for Ribble Valley in Lancashire put his hand down his trousers again, prompting the witness, then aged 27, to tell a friend: "I'm going to punch him." | |
He told the court: "She said, 'You can't do that - the shadow secretary of state for Wales'." | He told the court: "She said, 'You can't do that - the shadow secretary of state for Wales'." |
The witness said at the time the politician "was my friend, and I certainly forgave him for it because he was drunk." | The witness said at the time the politician "was my friend, and I certainly forgave him for it because he was drunk." |
"I have almost forgotten it," he said. | "I have almost forgotten it," he said. |
He confirmed he had socialised with Mr Evans since but had never discussed the matter. | He confirmed he had socialised with Mr Evans since but had never discussed the matter. |
'A big joke' | 'A big joke' |
"When I heard he had been arrested I could not believe it," he said. "I saw him in a corridor and he looked really dreadful." | |
Under cross examination from Peter Wright QC, he told the jury he considered the matter at the time "as like a big joke". | Under cross examination from Peter Wright QC, he told the jury he considered the matter at the time "as like a big joke". |
"Not in a million years," did he consider it would have resulted in him appearing in court, he said. | "Not in a million years," did he consider it would have resulted in him appearing in court, he said. |
He said he did not see himself as a victim of crime and gave a statement to the police after they contacted him last July. | He said he did not see himself as a victim of crime and gave a statement to the police after they contacted him last July. |
In the statement he said he saw the incident in the bar as "drunken over-familiarity, rather than being of a sexual nature". | In the statement he said he saw the incident in the bar as "drunken over-familiarity, rather than being of a sexual nature". |
He told police: "It was almost like a drunken 14-year-old at a disco who could not chat you up with words." | He told police: "It was almost like a drunken 14-year-old at a disco who could not chat you up with words." |
'No guile' | |
The witness confirmed that Mr Evans had not made sexual overtures to him before or since "but he overstepped the mark on one night." | The witness confirmed that Mr Evans had not made sexual overtures to him before or since "but he overstepped the mark on one night." |
A female friend of the alleged victim told the jury she witnessed the incident. | |
Mr Wright, defending, read her police statement which said: "It appeared to me like a cack-handed way of making a pass. | |
"The sort of thing that sometimes happens in a pub." | |
The woman told the court the MP was "very drunk". | |
Mr Wright added: "There was no guile...nothing furtive. In full view, a drunk man in a public place. And the individual concerned brushed it off?" | |
"He did," the woman replied. | |
Mr Evans resigned as deputy speaker after he was charged in September. | Mr Evans resigned as deputy speaker after he was charged in September. |
He has not returned to the Conservatives in the Commons and is representing his constituents as an independent. | He has not returned to the Conservatives in the Commons and is representing his constituents as an independent. |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |