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Nigel Evans trial: witness denies embellishing sexual assault allegation Nigel Evans trial: witness denies embellishing sexual assault allegation
(35 minutes later)
A key complainant in the trial of Nigel Evans has denied embellishing his allegation of sexual assault against the former deputy Commons speaker.A key complainant in the trial of Nigel Evans has denied embellishing his allegation of sexual assault against the former deputy Commons speaker.
The alleged victim, an aspiring politician, denied "orchestrating" claims by other accusers as the investigation into the 56-year-old MP "spiralled out of control".The alleged victim, an aspiring politician, denied "orchestrating" claims by other accusers as the investigation into the 56-year-old MP "spiralled out of control".
The complainant claimed Evans slipped his hand into his boxer shorts and groped his genitals while he was sleeping at the MP's constituency home in Pendleton, Lancashire, in July 2009, the court has heard. The complainant claimed Evans slipped his hand into his boxer shorts and groped his genitals while he was sleeping at the MP's constituency home in Pendleton, Lancashire, in July 2009, the court heard.
Giving evidence on the fourth day of the trial, the complainant told Preston crown court he felt "backed into a corner" and compelled to contact the police after a meeting with the Tory MP Sarah Wollaston and the Speaker, John Bercow.Giving evidence on the fourth day of the trial, the complainant told Preston crown court he felt "backed into a corner" and compelled to contact the police after a meeting with the Tory MP Sarah Wollaston and the Speaker, John Bercow.
The court heard that the complainant made a "throwaway remark" about the alleged assault to Wollaston, the MP for Totnes, while discussing the culture of Westminster over glasses of wine in a bar.The court heard that the complainant made a "throwaway remark" about the alleged assault to Wollaston, the MP for Totnes, while discussing the culture of Westminster over glasses of wine in a bar.
Under cross-examination by Evans's counsel, Peter Wright QC, the complainant said he felt "alarmed at what was happening" when Wollaston took him to report the assault allegation to Bercow.Under cross-examination by Evans's counsel, Peter Wright QC, the complainant said he felt "alarmed at what was happening" when Wollaston took him to report the assault allegation to Bercow.
"It was a professionally uncomfortable situation. They [events] were certainly spinning out of my control," said the man, now 28. "It was a professionally uncomfortable situation. They [events] were certainly spinning out of my control," said the man, now aged 28.
In a meeting at the Speaker's Commons office, Bercow is said to have told him that allegations should be taken to the police as it happened outside the parliamentary estate. In a meeting at the Speaker's Commons office, Bercow is said to have told him that allegations should be taken to the police as it had happened outside the parliamentary estate.
After that meeting, Wollaston told the complainant he had a "duty of care" to other young parliamentary staff and provided him with contact details for the police, jurors were told.After that meeting, Wollaston told the complainant he had a "duty of care" to other young parliamentary staff and provided him with contact details for the police, jurors were told.
He told Wollaston that he feared he may lose his Westminster job if he made a formal complaint, but she is said to have replied: "I don't mean to be unkind by that's not the point. You shouldn't be putting your immediate situation above what happened to you." He told Wollaston that he feared he could lose his Westminster job if he made a formal complaint, but she is said to have replied: "I don't mean to be unkind by that's not the point. You shouldn't be putting your immediate situation above what happened to you."
The complainant told officers in his first police interview that he felt powerless and "backed into a corner", the court heard.The complainant told officers in his first police interview that he felt powerless and "backed into a corner", the court heard.
"At that stage did you feel matters were getting out of control?" asked Wright."At that stage did you feel matters were getting out of control?" asked Wright.
He replied: "I didn't necessarily feel they were getting out of control in terms of what should happen. I felt they were getting out of my control."He replied: "I didn't necessarily feel they were getting out of control in terms of what should happen. I felt they were getting out of my control."
Wright put to the complainant: "You started a ball rolling with an off the cuff comment to Dr Sarah Wollaston some time before hadn't you? That off the cuff comment led to a situation in which eventually you had to give an account to the police. And, I suggest, that account you have overstated what took place." Wright put to the complainant: "You started a ball rolling with an off-the-cuff comment to Dr Sarah Wollaston some time before hadn't you? That off-the-cuff comment led to a situation in which eventually you had to give an account to the police. And, I suggest, that account you have overstated what took place."
"That's a lie," he replied."That's a lie," he replied.
Wright continued: "What happened was a pass at you by this man on the sofa in which his hand got on to your chest and down as far as your abdomen before you brushed it off and that's it." Wright continued: "What happened was a pass at you by this man on the sofa in which his hand got on to your chest and down as far as your abdomen before you brushed it off, and that's it."
The witness replied: "That's incorrect."The witness replied: "That's incorrect."
Later, Wright put to the complainant: "The reality is, I suggest, that these matters have simply spiralled out of control and you have therefore embellished the account you have now felt compelled to give."Later, Wright put to the complainant: "The reality is, I suggest, that these matters have simply spiralled out of control and you have therefore embellished the account you have now felt compelled to give."
The witness replied: "I've given a consistent account throughout."The witness replied: "I've given a consistent account throughout."
He denied "orchestrating" the complaint of another alleged victim, who the jury Have heard was groped by Evans in the Sports Social bar in the Commons. He denied orchestrating the complaint of another alleged victim, whom the jury heard was groped by Evans in the Sports Social bar in the Commons.
The former politics student, who said he had been encouraged to apply for a job at No 10, admitted he had thought about writing a political memoir: "If I was ever to make it as a politician I presume I would write memoirs."The former politics student, who said he had been encouraged to apply for a job at No 10, admitted he had thought about writing a political memoir: "If I was ever to make it as a politician I presume I would write memoirs."
He added that even though he felt he had been betrayed by Evans, he still believed he was an "all-round good egg".He added that even though he felt he had been betrayed by Evans, he still believed he was an "all-round good egg".
On Wednesday, the witness told the court how then chief whip, Patrick McLoughlin, "sighed and huffed" when he first heard about the allegation. On Wednesday, the witness told the court how the chief whip at the time, Patrick McLoughlin, "sighed and huffed" when he first heard about the allegation.
The complainant said he demanded that Evans be forced to resign immediately, but was told by McLoughlin: "It can't be done, the time isn't right, I would find it very difficult to explain why an MP is leaving his seat at this point before a general election. He [Evans] has no immediately family I can pass it off on. It can't be done'." The complainant said he demanded that Evans be forced to resign immediately, but was told by McLoughlin: "It can't be done, the time isn't right, I would find it very difficult to explain why an MP is leaving his seat at this point before a general election. He [Evans] has no immediately family I can pass it off on. It can't be done."
The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is one of seven who claim they were sexually assaulted by Evans between 2002 and 1 April last year. The MP for Ribble Valley denies two counts of indecent assault, six of sexual assault and one of rape.The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is one of seven who claim they were sexually assaulted by Evans between 2002 and 1 April last year. The MP for Ribble Valley denies two counts of indecent assault, six of sexual assault and one of rape.