Bruno Langley has admitted two sexual assaults after drunkenly groping a series of women on a night out in Manchester
Ex-Coronation Street star Bruno Langley has blamed the stress of playing the soap’s first gay character for the sex attacks he committed on a drunken night out.
The actor molested four women at a Manchester music venue last month, but was only charged with sexually assaulting two of them.
Langley – who played gay character Todd Grimshaw in the soap – wept in the dock yesterday as he avoided jail after admitting both offences.
His lawyer told the hearing: ‘Something happened that night, most possibly in relation to the character he was playing.’
It is understood his comments refer to the stress Langley felt being a straight man playing a gay character.
Langley was in the Band on the Wall club in the early hours of October 1 when he touched the two women.
Instead of a jail term, the 34-year-old was ordered to complete a 12-month community order and submit to a curfew.
He was also ordered to pay £250 to each of his two victims. He must also sign the sex offenders’ register for the next five years.
Langley, who is split from the ex-girlfriend with whom he has a son, apologised to his victims after the case and revealed he is getting help for a drinking problem.
His lawyers suggested the stress of playing a gay character on screen had contributed to his behaviour. Langley is pictured, right, as his character Todd Grimshaw with actor Chris Finch
Langley was accompanied by his mother and sisters family as he left Manchester Magistrates Court this afternoon
Passing sentence the judge told him: ‘On that evening your conduct was quite disgraceful and degrading. Both of the victims would have been extremely shocked and upset as a result of your conduct.
‘The fact that you were heavily intoxicated is not mitigation, it is a further aggravating feature.’
The judge said the convictions mean Langley will probably not work in the TV industry again.
The court heard Langley was ‘clearly intoxicated’ when the first woman, who was out with her husband, went upstairs to collect their coats from the cloakroom.
The prosecutor said: ‘As she walked back towards the stairs Mr Langley grabbed her in the crotch area over her dress.’
Prosecutor Karen Saffman, quoting the victim’s statement, said: ‘He grabbed me. Properly grabbed me. It was a rough grab. Lots of pressure… even though it was through a dress and tights.’
The prosecutor added: ‘She was clearly in shock. She was thinking about hitting him. She said, “Did you do that on purpose?” But he did not reply.’
A friend of Langley’s then apologised, the court heard, saying: ‘Oh my God, I’m really sorry’.
Actor apologises to groping victims and says he has a drinking problem
A statement issued by Langley after today’s court hearing said: ‘I sincerely apologise to the people involved and affected by my disgraceful behaviour on the evening of 30th September.
‘I have absolutely no memory of what happened because of excessive alcohol consumption and it was for this reason that I behaved completely out of character.
‘However, I take full responsibility for my actions that night.
‘Since this incident I have been dealing with, and confronting, some personal issues that I have never addressed, and I am also getting help for an alcohol problem, so that this does not ever happen again.’
Langley (right in 2004) has played Todd Grimshaw in the ITV soap off and on since 2001. He left the soap after an internal investigation into the sex attacks
When the victim then went to go to the toilets she was then approached by another woman who had also been sexually assaulted by Langley.
Ms Saffman said the second woman told the first victim Langley had groped her ‘boobs and her bum’.
Langley was also seen to go up to another woman, again a complete stranger, and ‘grabbed her boobs and bum’ and grabbed a fourth woman.
Ms Saffman said he had not been charged with offences against two of the woman but the two incidents were ‘indicative of his behaviour’ on the night.
Langley, pictured leaving his home this morning, could face jail when the case comes back before the court
Langley, who has no previous convictions, looked down at the floor of the dock, as the case was outlined.
His lawyer, Simon Hancock, told the court: ‘Clearly, this is an isolated incident, something that happened on that evening. It is alcohol fuelled.
‘The court could see it in isolation, rather than a serial predatory groper.
‘The issue being, this is clearly a man who has alcohol issues, his behaviour clearly crosses a barrier where he touches females.
‘He did not target these females, and he did not fuel them with alcohol.’
Mr Hancock said Langley was now not employed and may have difficulty finding gainful employment because of the conviction.
Distict Judge Hadfield told him: “The victims were shocked and upset by your conduct.
‘You have lost your good name and employment and it may well be difficult to gain employment in the entertainment in future.’
He made his Corrie debut as Todd Grimshaw in 2001. He has also had roles in Doctor Who, Dalziel And Pascoe and in several theatrical productions, including Calendar Girls and The Mousetrap.
The two sexual assaults took place in the Band On The Wall venue in Manchester last month
In a statement released before he was charged, the actor said: ‘Sadly, I will no longer be working on Coronation Street. Acting on the show has been the fulfilment of a personal dream.
‘Playing the role of Todd Grimshaw since I was 17 years old has been a huge part of my life, and an absolute honour.
‘I would like to thank all of my friends who work on the show for their love, friendship and support during this extremely difficult period.’
His contract is understood to have ended on October 26 following an internal inquiry into the assault allegation.