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| Stuart Hall 'rape victim not a gold-digger', court hears | Stuart Hall 'rape victim not a gold-digger', court hears |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A woman who claims ex-broadcaster Stuart Hall repeatedly raped her has told a court she was not a "gold-digger" wanting compensation. | A woman who claims ex-broadcaster Stuart Hall repeatedly raped her has told a court she was not a "gold-digger" wanting compensation. |
| The woman sought £20,000 in a civil claim as "a full and final settlement" for the alleged abuse in Hall's BBC dressing room, jurors heard. | The woman sought £20,000 in a civil claim as "a full and final settlement" for the alleged abuse in Hall's BBC dressing room, jurors heard. |
| She said she was giving evidence against Mr Hall at Preston Crown Court because she wanted "justice". | |
| Mr Hall, 84, denies 20 charges of rape and indecent assault from 1976 to 1981. | Mr Hall, 84, denies 20 charges of rape and indecent assault from 1976 to 1981. |
| The charges involve two girls who had sex with the former It's a Knockout presenter, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, on numerous occasions while under 16. | The charges involve two girls who had sex with the former It's a Knockout presenter, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, on numerous occasions while under 16. |
| Mr Hall's barrister said that under the law at the time of the alleged offences he would have been charged with unlawful sex with a girl under 16. | Mr Hall's barrister said that under the law at the time of the alleged offences he would have been charged with unlawful sex with a girl under 16. |
| On Tuesday, Mr Hall admitted one count of indecent assault. | On Tuesday, Mr Hall admitted one count of indecent assault. |
| 'Dead duck' | |
| During cross-examination, Mr Hall's barrister Crispin Aylett QC said to one of Mr Hall's accusers: "That is what you have been after all along. Compensation." | |
| The woman, only identified as Girl A, replied: "If I was purely after compensation do you really honestly believe I would have put myself through this yesterday and today, and now knowing that it is all out in the open. | |
| "You are making me sound like a bit of a gold-digger. Well there is easier ways of making money." | |
| Mr Aylett asked: "Were you advised because the defendant was - on his own admission - a convicted paedophile, he was a dead duck, he would plead guilty and you would get your cash?" | Mr Aylett asked: "Were you advised because the defendant was - on his own admission - a convicted paedophile, he was a dead duck, he would plead guilty and you would get your cash?" |
| She said: "No." | She said: "No." |
| The prosecution asked the woman why she had come to court to give evidence. | The prosecution asked the woman why she had come to court to give evidence. |
| She said: "Because, this is no disrespect to the system, I just feel it was not long enough for what he did. | She said: "Because, this is no disrespect to the system, I just feel it was not long enough for what he did. |
| "I felt for those girls because I know and I understand what it's like and I just felt it was an insult to them." | "I felt for those girls because I know and I understand what it's like and I just felt it was an insult to them." |
| "I don't want to be here, I'm not going to lie about that. But I want justice I suppose," the woman added. | "I don't want to be here, I'm not going to lie about that. But I want justice I suppose," the woman added. |
| 'Very vulnerable position' | |
| On Wednesday, Girl A told the court she was raped at the BBC studios at Oxford Road and also at BBC premises at Piccadilly, both in Manchester. | |
| The witness was asked to explain a remark she made in a statement saying Hall "didn't tie me down and rape me". | |
| She replied: "When I think rape, I think somebody whose been attacked, grabbed in an alley. There's different forms of rape. | |
| "It's quite a strong word rape, isn't it? Even though I didn't put up a fight, he knew I was in a very, very vulnerable position. He took full advantage of it." | |
| Last year, Mr Hall was jailed for 15 months for 14 offences of indecent assault against 13 girls. His sentence was later extended to 30 months, at the Court of Appeal. | Last year, Mr Hall was jailed for 15 months for 14 offences of indecent assault against 13 girls. His sentence was later extended to 30 months, at the Court of Appeal. |
| The trial is expected to last seven days. | The trial is expected to last seven days. |