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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Nigel Evans trial: Man says MP 'had hands all over me' | Nigel Evans trial: Man says MP 'had hands all over me' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Former deputy speaker Nigel Evans had his hands "all over" a male Westminster worker and tried to kiss him, the man told Preston Crown Court. | Former deputy speaker Nigel Evans had his hands "all over" a male Westminster worker and tried to kiss him, the man told Preston Crown Court. |
| The man said the MP's advance was "unexpected" and a "shock" after the pair had been drinking with a group of colleagues. | |
| Mr Evans, 56, denies one count of rape, two counts of indecent assault and six counts of sexual assault. | Mr Evans, 56, denies one count of rape, two counts of indecent assault and six counts of sexual assault. |
| The man claimed Mr Evans told him: "You're gorgeous." | The man claimed Mr Evans told him: "You're gorgeous." |
| The witness said he had been drinking in the Strangers' Bar in the Commons in February 2011 when Mr Evans greeted him with a glass of champagne and invited him to join his group. | |
| He said Mr Evans invited the group to join him in a conference room near the Deputy Speaker's Office. | He said Mr Evans invited the group to join him in a conference room near the Deputy Speaker's Office. |
| 'You're gorgeous' | 'You're gorgeous' |
| The witness, who admitted he was "tipsy" at the time, said he was led down a corridor by Mr Evans who invited him to see his new kitchen. | The witness, who admitted he was "tipsy" at the time, said he was led down a corridor by Mr Evans who invited him to see his new kitchen. |
| The complainant, who said he was pushed into the kitchen, added: "It was pitch black and then very quickly he kind of came forward and put his arms all over me and tried to kiss me. | The complainant, who said he was pushed into the kitchen, added: "It was pitch black and then very quickly he kind of came forward and put his arms all over me and tried to kiss me. |
| "Then he took my hand and placed it on his crotch. I felt his lips on mine at that point." | "Then he took my hand and placed it on his crotch. I felt his lips on mine at that point." |
| The complainant told the court: "He touched my crotch, he touched my bum... over the top of my clothing. | The complainant told the court: "He touched my crotch, he touched my bum... over the top of my clothing. |
| "I remember him saying something like 'you're gorgeous'. I didn't say anything because I was in shock." | "I remember him saying something like 'you're gorgeous'. I didn't say anything because I was in shock." |
| He said he pushed the MP away and left as quickly as possible. The man then said he told friends what had happened. | He said he pushed the MP away and left as quickly as possible. The man then said he told friends what had happened. |
| The witness told the court: "Because of how much I liked Nigel I think I decided to convince myself it was a one-off and that he got carried away, and he overstepped the line. So I gave him the benefit of the doubt. | The witness told the court: "Because of how much I liked Nigel I think I decided to convince myself it was a one-off and that he got carried away, and he overstepped the line. So I gave him the benefit of the doubt. |
| "And in Parliament, people don't tend to have confidence in reporting anything about MPs." | "And in Parliament, people don't tend to have confidence in reporting anything about MPs." |
| Facebook message | Facebook message |
| The complainant said he believed the disciplinary system was "more concerned about how things appear rather than with actually what happened". | The complainant said he believed the disciplinary system was "more concerned about how things appear rather than with actually what happened". |
| The court heard that Mr Evans sent the complainant a Facebook message several days after the kitchen incident, writing, "Hi [the alleged victim], my mobile number is ...., great to see you the other day." | The court heard that Mr Evans sent the complainant a Facebook message several days after the kitchen incident, writing, "Hi [the alleged victim], my mobile number is ...., great to see you the other day." |
| The young man responded: "Hi. Thanks for allowing us to gatecrash your drinks. We [he and his friend] both had fun." | The young man responded: "Hi. Thanks for allowing us to gatecrash your drinks. We [he and his friend] both had fun." |
| Evans then replied: "Yep, great fun!" | Evans then replied: "Yep, great fun!" |
| The complainant told the court: "I kind of took it as him thinking, 'Do I need to worry about this incident being reported?'." | The complainant told the court: "I kind of took it as him thinking, 'Do I need to worry about this incident being reported?'." |
| Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC asked the complainant about his relationship with the MP prior to February 2011. | Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC asked the complainant about his relationship with the MP prior to February 2011. |
| 'Like Savile' | |
| He replied: "He was someone I liked very much. | He replied: "He was someone I liked very much. |
| "I can be quite cynical about MPs but I thought that he was one of the nice guys." | "I can be quite cynical about MPs but I thought that he was one of the nice guys." |
| The witness told Mr Heywood the arrest of Mr Evans last May prompted him to contact a senior officer at Lancashire Police who he knew. | The witness told Mr Heywood the arrest of Mr Evans last May prompted him to contact a senior officer at Lancashire Police who he knew. |
| Under cross-examination from Peter Wright QC, defending, the witness denied he was making false allegations. | |
| Asked why he came forward so late, the man said: "It's like Savile with the BBC and the way they covered things up." | |
| The witness also said he had spoken to journalists from The Sunday Times, The Guardian and ITN but had not taken any money from anyone. | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |