[ad_1]
Former Blue Peter host John Leslie was acquitted of grabbing a woman’s breasts at a Christmas party in 2008.
He wept and nodded to the jury when the verdict was delivered, and made no comment when he left court.
Leslie, whose full name is John Leslie Stott, had denied allegations that he had groped a woman after shaking her hand in London’s West End more than a decade ago.
John Leslie had denied the 2008 charges
The Southwark Crown Court jury took just 23 minutes to render a verdict, after a week of trial.
He had previously told the jury that he did not recall being at the party in question and said the only sexual assault charge was “crazy” and “ridiculous.”
“I wouldn’t have touched her like she was a mannequin and left,” he said during the test, adding that the tabloid press had passed him off as an “aggressive sexual monster” and denied assaulting any women.
Leslie had also said at trial that his life completely changed in 2002, after his ex-girlfriend Ulrika Jonsson mistakenly identified him on live television as the unidentified alleged rapist in a book.
Host Matthew Wright later apologized and said he named Leslie by mistake.
In 2003, two indecent assault charges were dropped against Leslie and not guilty verdicts were entered.
:: Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Leslie was also arrested and interviewed by police in 2008 on a rape and indecent assault charge that was said to have occurred in 1995, the jury was also told.
However, there was insufficient evidence to charge him and no further action was taken.
Leslie said that as a result of the accusations, he had become lonely, paranoid, depressed, and suicidal.
Judge Deborah Taylor said she told him: “You, for the second time, are leaving this court without a blemish on your character and I hope this is the last time you have to attend.
