UK TV Actor Michael Le Vell charged with child sexual abuse .

By MARTIN ROBINSON

2 September 2013

Coronation Street TV star Michael Le Vell raped a young girl as she clutched a teddy bear and warned her that if she told anyone she would ‘die’, a court heard today. The actor allegedly told the girl, ‘It’s okay, just keep calm, stay asleep… I’m going to get rid of the evil,’ as he sexually abused the youngster, Manchester Crown Court was told. He also allegedly warned her: ‘It’s our little secret, no-one needs to know otherwise … you’ll die and the evil will come over you.’ Le Vell, 48, who plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, is facing 12 charges in all – five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

After 12 jurors were selected, two members asked to be excused and two replacements were selected for a jury of eight women and four men. In the dock: Michael Le Vell arrived at Manchester Crown Court this morning where he faces trial for a series of child sex offences.

Judge Michael Henshell warned them: ‘The man on trial is Michael Turner, not the character he plays.’ Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, then began the opening address, telling the jury Le Vell was a ‘heavy drinker’. She said: ‘There is no room in your deliberations for any form of emotion or sympathy or prejudice. ‘You must judge the facts of this case using your own common sense.’

Ms Laws said the abuse began when Le Vell slipped his hand under the girl’s clothing. Afterwards Le Vell seemed happy, ‘as if it was giving him pleasure’, the jury heard. The abuse progressed to Le Vell allegedly forcing the girl to touch him, with her ‘too frightened’ to do anything, the court heard. ‘Interlocking her hands in his, he took control of her hand and put it down his underwear,’ Ms Laws told the court. The first time he raped the girl, she clutched one teddy bear while Le Vell put another teddy bear over her mouth, it is alleged. ‘It’s okay. I’m making the evil stop once and for all now. It’ll be fine,’ he allegedly told the girl.

He then raped the youngster, kissed her on the cheek and left, the court heard. The jury heard that on another occasion Le Vell raped the girl. ‘He did not say anything this time, and after he had finished, he just got up and left,’ Ms Laws said. ‘She recalls that afterwards she felt sick,’ the prosecutor added. Ms Laws said Le Vell would speak to another adult, who cannot be named for legal reasons, about his problems and referred to a ‘secret’ he had and said the adult would ‘not believe what was inside his head’.

The prosecutor added: ‘On another occasion he stated that he was ‘unforgivable’ but would not say what he had done.’ The girl later broke down in tears and police were called. The jury was told that Le Vell told police the child was a ‘fantasist’ and ‘attention seeker’, and that her claims were a ‘pack of lies’. Le Vell was initially arrested on September 30, 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to proceed with the case. But after a review of the evidence Le Vell was re-arrested and charged in February 2013.

At his first arrest he answered all the questions put to him, Ms Laws told the jury. Ms Laws told the jury: ‘He accepted that he drank too much and had tried Alcoholics Anonymous in the past but it hadn’t worked for him.’ She continued: ‘He denied each of the allegations she had made and said she was seriously deluded and that she was telling a pack of absolute lies, he was shocked and stunned by the allegations and didn’t know why she was saying it.’

After his arrest the second time he declined to answer any further questions and provided police with a prepared statement, again denying all the allegations and refusing to make any further comment. The alleged offences relate to one complainant and are said to have taken place between September 2002 and September 2010. The law protects alleged victims in sexual offence cases and they cannot be identified without their written consent.

He earlier arrived at Manchester Crown Court wearing a light grey suit and was met by large group of photographers, TV crews and reporters. The actor, who was with his legal team and a minder, said ‘Good morning’ to the media as he arrived. The father of two, originally from Manchester, is one of TV’s most famous faces after playing garage owner and mechanic Kevin Webster for the past 30 years. He first joined Coronation Street in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans. Those who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from Brian Tilsley’s apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor, and fathering two girls, Rosie and Sophie.

The actor split from his wife, Janette Beverley, last year. ITV has said he will not be appearing in any further episodes of the soap pending the outcome of legal proceedings. His trial before Judge Michael Henshell at Manchester Crown Court is scheduled to last around two weeks