Coronation Street actor Bill Roache tells court he had 'no interest in gratuitous sex'
Coronation Street star Bill Roache denied that he has ever been interested in "gratuitous sex" and "certainly not with underage people" on his first day of evidence.
Over the past fortnight, Mr Roache has heard accusations of rape from one alleged victim and of indecent assault from four others.
He categorically denied the claims, insisting he does not know any of his accusers and has no recollection of spending any time with them.
Mr Roache insisted he has "no interest at all in sexual immaturity," adding: "I have daughters of my own. I respect children for what they are."
Prosecutor Anne Whyte QC put it to Roache, who played Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, that he quickly became the "heart throb" of the TV soap.
Asked whether he would say he was attractive to members of the opposite sex in the 1960s, he said it was "for others to say" but that he did receive "fan mail which suggested that."
But he strenuously denied her suggestion that this caused him to believe he was "beyond sexual scrutiny".
He admitted to being unfaithful "intermittently" during his first marriage to actress Anne Cropper, but insisted he "was not interested in gratuitous sex and certainly not with underage people".
Mr Roache denied claims by two alleged victims that he assaulted them in the toilets at Granada Studios, where Coronation Street was filmed.
"It's not in my nature to do that sort of thing and those toilets were in very frequent use," he told the court.
He admitted sending a signed photograph of himself and a letter to one of the alleged victims but denied having any other involvement with the recipient.
Asked in cross-examination why a man in his 30s should be encouraging a schoolgirl to write to him, Mr Roache said: "I just put something in to make it personal and friendly".
Moving on to the two rape allegations, relating to a girl who was aged 15 in 1967, he said they were "definitely and categorically" untrue.
"I have no knowledge of this girl and no knowledge of taking anyone in the house," he said.
"That is not in my nature at all. I really don't want anyone to be upset. I would never have forced myself on anybody and nor would I need to."
Following the completion of his evidence the trial continues tomorrow.