Former TV presenter John Leslie is to face trial over claims he sexually assaulted a woman in a nightclub. The 52-year-old denies he put his hand up a 26-year-old woman’s skirt in the popular Edinburgh nightspot
Former TV presenter John Leslie is to face trial over claims he sexually assaulted a woman in a nightclub.
The one time Blue Peter presenter, who went on to host Wheel of Fortune and This Morning, is accused of groping the unnamed 26-year-old while dancing.
It is alleged Leslie, 52, put his hand up young woman’s fancy dress tutu and touched her inappropriately during a night out at Edinburgh’s Atik club, in June last year.
He strenuously denied the sexual assault allegation when it emerged in November but Scottish authorities have now decided to prosecute.
‘He’ll be devastated as he was insistent evidence would prove his innocence,’ a source told the Mirror.
‘He had planned to relaunch his television career, but this will crush those plans,’ they added.
Leslie and the alleged victim were at the popular Scottish nightclub to celebrate its relaunch following a £450,000 refurbishment.
Both were partying in the VIP area of the club – which recently featured in the film T2 Trainspotting – where it is claimed Leslie groped the woman celebrating a hen party.
It is alleged Leslie put his hand down the young woman’s skirt and touched her inappropriately during a night out at Edinburgh’s Atik club (pictured) in June last year
He strenuously denied the sexual assault allegation when it emerged in November but Scottish authorities have now decided to prosecute – scuppering plans for a TV comeback, according to one source (pictured alongside Fern Britton hosting the This Morning programme in 2002)
His solicitor Mark Harrower previously said he believed CCTV footage from the club would clear his client – though this has yet to emerge.
The allegations were enough to force him to turn down a £500,000 offer to be on Celebrity Big Brother and shelve a potential comeback.
MailOnline has approached Mr Leslie’s representatives for comment.
While in November Leslie said: ‘I totally deny the allegation. I have not done anything wrong.’
Leslie, who lives in Edinburgh, rose to fame in the late 1980s when he became the first Scot to host Blue Peter (pictured) before going on to present Wheel of Fortune and This Morning
MailOnline has approached Mr Leslie’s representatives for comment. In November Leslie said ‘I totally deny the allegation. I have not done anything wrong’ (pictured on Blue Peter)
Leslie, who lives in Edinburgh, rose to fame in the late 1980s when he became the first Scot to host Blue Peter before going on to present Wheel of Fortune and This Morning. More recently he has involved himself in property development.
Police arrested him over claims of indecent assault in 2003, and investigated him again in 2015, but in both instances all charges were dropped.
Reporting on the initial charges in November, a spokesperson for Police Scotland told MailOnline: ‘Police in Edinburgh have charged a 52-year-old man following a report that a 26-year-old woman was the victim of a sexual assault at a nightclub in the Tollcross area on Sunday 25 June.’
The trial is due to be held in spring at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. It will be decided by a sheriff alone without a jury.
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