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| Stuart Hall rape trial: Broadcaster not giving evidence | Stuart Hall rape trial: Broadcaster not giving evidence |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Broadcaster Stuart Hall will not give evidence from the witness box in defence of sex assault allegations, a jury has been told. | Broadcaster Stuart Hall will not give evidence from the witness box in defence of sex assault allegations, a jury has been told. |
| Mr Hall is on trial at Preston Crown Court for 20 historical charges of rape and indecent assault against two girls. | Mr Hall is on trial at Preston Crown Court for 20 historical charges of rape and indecent assault against two girls. |
| He denies all of the charges alleged to have happened between 1976 to 1981. | He denies all of the charges alleged to have happened between 1976 to 1981. |
| The complainants came forward after he was jailed last year for a string of historical indecent assaults against 13 girls. | The complainants came forward after he was jailed last year for a string of historical indecent assaults against 13 girls. |
| 'Surprised by allegations' | |
| It is said the former It's A Knockout presenter groomed his victims and plied them with alcohol before he raped them. | |
| A statement made to the police by the ex BBC presenter when he was confronted with fresh sex assault allegations in October was read to the jury. | |
| In it Mr Hall said he was "surprised" by the allegations by the two women who he had known for a number of years, the court heard. | |
| "I am concerned that they have been made only after I pleaded guilty to a number of offences and then was sentenced to a term of imprisonment." | |
| He said one of the accusers, known only as Girl B, had "offered her support" when he previously went on trial for 14 offences of indecent assault against 13 girls last year. | |
| The first alleged victim, identified as Girl A, told the jury she was raped at the BBC studios at Oxford Road and also at BBC premises at Piccadilly, both in Manchester. | |
| Girl A, who is now 52, told the court Mr Hall would sometimes give her money after raping her and then drive her home in his gold Rolls Royce. | |
| Girl B told the court she was first attacked by Mr Hall when she was 12 at stables in the mid-1970s. | |
| She also told the court the defendant went on to rape her when she was aged 14 or 15 in his BBC dressing rooms at both Piccadilly and Oxford Road. | |
| The trial continues. |