Soap star with ‘demons’ tells of delight after sex-claims victory

The 48-year-old mouthed “thank you” to the jury yesterday after they dismissed a string of allegations made by his accuser, who claimed she had been raped and abused as a young girl.

Jurors took just under five hours to reach their verdicts at Manchester Crown Court after they were told by the judge that their assessment of Le Vell’s accuser was “critical”.

The “demons” in Le Vell’s private life were laid bare in the trial – his alcoholism and womanising while his wife, actress Janette Beverley, battled breast cancer.

The court heard of his “dark secrets” that he had a string of one-night stands and an affair behind the back of his wife of 25 years. But his barrister Alisdair Williamson had told the jury in his summing up that while Le Vell might be described as a “weak, stupid and drunk man” and a “bad husband”, he was not a child rapist.

After thanking his family, legal team and his employers outside court, the actor said with a smile: “And I might go have a drink now.”

Crown prosecutor Eleanor Laws QC had argued Le Vell was a “troubled man” who had sexually assaulted his victim, but that account was rejected by the jury.

Le Vell, from Hale, Cheshire, was initially arrested in 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to proceed with the case. After a review of the evidence following fresh allegations by the girl, Le Vell was re-arrested and charged in February this year.

Following the verdict, a CPS spokeswoman said: “This case was reviewed in great detail and the evidence subject to careful scrutiny before a decision was taken to prosecute.

“On the basis of the reviews the CPS concluded that there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction. As these were very serious allegations of child sexual abuse it therefore followed that it was in the public interest to place that evidence before a jury at court.

“It is for the jury to determine whether a defendant is guilty or not and we of course respect the verdicts they have reached.”

His accuser, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was not in court to hear the verdicts.

She had been described by Ms Laws as “bubbly”, “lovely” and “naive” and had sobbed when she gave evidence from behind a curtain, claiming that Le Vell, known to millions of TV fans as the soap’s Kevin Webster, raped her as she clutched a teddy bear.

But the jury heard from Mr Williamson that it was a “strange case of child rape” without any DNA evidence or injuries to the alleged victim – although medical experts had agreed it could not be ruled out for certain. Asked why she did not tell anyone of the abuse, she had told the court: “Because he told me not to. It was our little secret.”

Le Vell, on trial under his real name of Michael Turner, had denied 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.

He held his head up as the male foreman gave the verdicts to the court clerk. On the fourth count of not guilty, he nodded his head in agreement with them. His brother and sisters, who sat in the public gallery, were in tears as the verdicts were delivered.

One man shouted “get in” when the last verdict was read out.

Le Vell looked round in confusion before he left the dock and was warmly hugged by a supporter. Cries of relief were then heard as he left the courtroom a free man, with his family members.

Outside, he said: “I am delighted obviously, it is a weight off everyone’s shoulders.

“And I would just like to thank my fantastic legal team, the family for their support, security, and I would like to thank ITV for their continued support throughout this traumatic time for all of us, and I would like to say thank you all for being patient.

“And I might go and have a drink now.”

Asked when he would return to the popular soap, he said: “I might have a holiday first. I’ll have to go and have a chat with my boss.”

Supporter and close friend former Coronation Street star Nigel Pivaro, who played Terry Duckworth, said: “He has suffered two years of hell and probably, also due to his high profile, far more than most.

“Now the jury has spoken, he can pick up his career and his life.”

Le Vell joined Coronation Street in 1983 playing Kevin Webster, whose storylines have included his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor. He did not appear in the soap during the legal proceedings.

After the case, a spokeswoman for Coronation Street said: “We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme.”