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| Dave Lee Travis given three-month suspended sentence for assault | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Dave Lee Travis, the former BBC Radio 1 DJ, has been given a three-month suspended sentence for indecently assaulting a woman in 1995. | Dave Lee Travis, the former BBC Radio 1 DJ, has been given a three-month suspended sentence for indecently assaulting a woman in 1995. |
| Travis, 69, was convicted on Tuesday by a majority jury verdict. Appearing under his real name, David Griffin, he was found not guilty of another indecent assault charge, and the jury at Southwark crown court was unable to reach a verdict on a charge of sexual assault. | Travis, 69, was convicted on Tuesday by a majority jury verdict. Appearing under his real name, David Griffin, he was found not guilty of another indecent assault charge, and the jury at Southwark crown court was unable to reach a verdict on a charge of sexual assault. |
| The latter two charges were being retried after a jury was unable to reach verdicts on these and other similar allegations at an initial trial in February. | The latter two charges were being retried after a jury was unable to reach verdicts on these and other similar allegations at an initial trial in February. |
| The charge on which Travis was convicted did not feature in the first trial. It was committed in January 1995 against a young woman working on the BBC’s Mrs Merton Show. The victim told the court that Travis seemed to get a “weird sexual thrill” from the incident. | The charge on which Travis was convicted did not feature in the first trial. It was committed in January 1995 against a young woman working on the BBC’s Mrs Merton Show. The victim told the court that Travis seemed to get a “weird sexual thrill” from the incident. |
| The woman, who was in her early 20s at the time and was part of the production crew, said Travis approached her in the corridor of a BBC television studio as she was smoking and commented on her “poor little lungs”, before he squeezed her breasts. | The woman, who was in her early 20s at the time and was part of the production crew, said Travis approached her in the corridor of a BBC television studio as she was smoking and commented on her “poor little lungs”, before he squeezed her breasts. |
| She said the assault, in which she was pinned against a wall by Travis for 10 to 15 seconds, was “unbelievably weird”, and that the DJ had an “intense stare” throughout. She told the court she did not make a complaint or contact police because she was young and did not want to make a fuss. | She said the assault, in which she was pinned against a wall by Travis for 10 to 15 seconds, was “unbelievably weird”, and that the DJ had an “intense stare” throughout. She told the court she did not make a complaint or contact police because she was young and did not want to make a fuss. |
| She gave evidence without a screen, in view of Travis in the dock, and said she had spoken in public about the assault. | She gave evidence without a screen, in view of Travis in the dock, and said she had spoken in public about the assault. |
| Giving his own evidence, the former Top of the Pops presenter denied all charges, telling jurors the women involved had been lying. He also called on several other defence witnesses to testify to his good character. | Giving his own evidence, the former Top of the Pops presenter denied all charges, telling jurors the women involved had been lying. He also called on several other defence witnesses to testify to his good character. |
| Travis’s defence barrister, Stephen Vullo QC, said he had been described during the trial as the “perfect gentleman” and nothing like the “sleazy, predatory opportunist” that prosecutors had accused him of being. | Travis’s defence barrister, Stephen Vullo QC, said he had been described during the trial as the “perfect gentleman” and nothing like the “sleazy, predatory opportunist” that prosecutors had accused him of being. |
| In her victim impact statement the woman said she was hurt by Travis’s depiction of her in court as a liar. | In her victim impact statement the woman said she was hurt by Travis’s depiction of her in court as a liar. |
| “Being called a liar and fantasist and being forced to recall the evidence in court has been painful,” it said. | “Being called a liar and fantasist and being forced to recall the evidence in court has been painful,” it said. |
| “I was particularly hurt by the defendant’s claim that financial greed motivated me to come forward. I have preserved my anonymity and will not claim compensation now or in the future. I simply wanted to tell the truth.” | “I was particularly hurt by the defendant’s claim that financial greed motivated me to come forward. I have preserved my anonymity and will not claim compensation now or in the future. I simply wanted to tell the truth.” |
| The woman described the effects of the assault: “I was a naive and trusting 22-year-old when I was subjected to an unprovoked and terrifying physical assault at my place of work. | The woman described the effects of the assault: “I was a naive and trusting 22-year-old when I was subjected to an unprovoked and terrifying physical assault at my place of work. |
| “I was too paralysed with fear to confront my assailant.” | “I was too paralysed with fear to confront my assailant.” |
| The victim said she felt lucky she was resilient enough to get on with her life “thanks largely to my colleagues”. | The victim said she felt lucky she was resilient enough to get on with her life “thanks largely to my colleagues”. |
| She added: “I coped with it by using humour. But remembering the incident still takes me back to feeling like a scared, vulnerable young woman. | She added: “I coped with it by using humour. But remembering the incident still takes me back to feeling like a scared, vulnerable young woman. |
| Travis, wearing a blue jacket, grey shirt and red and yellow tie, and accompanied by his wife, Marianne, stood in the dock and stared at the ground after the statement was read out. | Travis, wearing a blue jacket, grey shirt and red and yellow tie, and accompanied by his wife, Marianne, stood in the dock and stared at the ground after the statement was read out. |
| Sentencing Travis the judge, Anthony Leonard QC, said: “It was an intentional and unpleasant sexual assault. | Sentencing Travis the judge, Anthony Leonard QC, said: “It was an intentional and unpleasant sexual assault. |
| “You took advantage of a young woman in a vulnerable position whose job it was to look after you that day.” | “You took advantage of a young woman in a vulnerable position whose job it was to look after you that day.” |
| Travis looked at the floor and replied: “Thank you, your honour,” after the judge passed sentence. | Travis looked at the floor and replied: “Thank you, your honour,” after the judge passed sentence. |
| The investigation into Travis was part of Operation Yewtree, the inquiry set up two years ago after the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal. Travis has consistently protested his innocence since he was arrested at his home in Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, in November 2012. | The investigation into Travis was part of Operation Yewtree, the inquiry set up two years ago after the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal. Travis has consistently protested his innocence since he was arrested at his home in Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, in November 2012. |
| Among the witnesses was the comedian Dave Gorman, who was a writer on the Mrs Merton show at the time. H said he remembered hearing about the incident as “aggressive” and not a “playful” act. | Among the witnesses was the comedian Dave Gorman, who was a writer on the Mrs Merton show at the time. H said he remembered hearing about the incident as “aggressive” and not a “playful” act. |
| “My recollection was everyone in the team would have known,” he said. “This was office gossip to some extent.” He added: “I recall discussions and questions about whether it had been a sort of ‘Carry On-film wahey’, which might be playful albeit ill-judged, or whether it was aggressive. My recollection was it was aggressive.” | “My recollection was everyone in the team would have known,” he said. “This was office gossip to some extent.” He added: “I recall discussions and questions about whether it had been a sort of ‘Carry On-film wahey’, which might be playful albeit ill-judged, or whether it was aggressive. My recollection was it was aggressive.” |