Ex-girlfriend of comedian says: I’m no fantasist

Anna Larke claims the 38-year-old, who came to fame with The Friday Night Project, harassed and assaulted her during their nine-month relationship.

But yesterday Sonia Woodley QC, defending Collins, accused the recovering alcoholic of being a fantasist.

The court heard how after Miss Larke left the comedian, she bombarded him with texts declaring her love for him and asking him about new girlfriends she had seen him photographed with.

When she was asked why she did not show bruises she claims were inflicted by Collins to her doctor, she said she had not wanted him to get into trouble. “I didn’t want to do it to Justin. He was the love of my life,” Miss Larke, also 38, said.

Under cross-examination, Miss Larke admitted Collins, of Kew, south-west London, had given her the password for his email account during their relationship because she had accused him of flirting with other women.

The court has heard Collins, who denies harassing his ex-partner, allegedly made Miss Larke close her email, Facebook and Twitter accounts after reading her messages. He is also alleged to have made her throw away DVDs because he feared she found the actors attractive.

The jury has heard clips from a recording made by Miss Larke of a row between the pair shortly before she left him.

Yesterday, she claimed she had recorded the row so she would not change her mind about leaving him. “I didn’t want to leave because I loved him to pieces.”

In the weeks after she left him she bombarded him with texts.

Ms Woodley challenged Miss Larke on her allegations. “I would suggest to you that you are a 
fantasist,” she said. Miss Larke said: “I would suggest I am absolutely not.”

The trial continues today.