Alleged Le Vell victim accused of lying

A girl who claims Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell raped her as she clutched a teddy bear was today accused of telling a "little lie" to police.

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.

The alleged victim broke down in tears yesterday in the witness box as she told the jury of the alleged abuse.

The witness, who is giving evidence from behind a screen at Manchester Crown Court, cannot be identified for legal reasons.

But today Alisdair Williamson, defending Le Vell, questioned alleged inconsistencies in what the girl had told police.

Mr Williamson suggested when the girl was interviewed on video by police she said some "silly things" that she has left out of her account given in court.

The lawyer told the court the witness had initially told police she had never talked to anyone about the alleged abuse.

But Mr Williamson claimed the witness "told lots of girls" about it.

"I told two friends because they saw me crying," the witness replied.

But when police were called in the witness told the officer she had not told anyone, the court heard.

Mr Williamson continued: "The officer came to see you because...you told people and you told the officer a little lie.

"You told him you had not told the girls, they had just guessed.

"I suggest that was a little lie?"

"No," the witness replied.

Mr Williamson said in police interviews the girl claimed to remember the exact times when alleged rapes took place - and she claimed two of the rapes happened at exactly the same time.

Mr Williamson continued: "Was it a detail you were putting in to make you more convincing and you now realise it sounds a bit silly?"

"No," she replied.

"It didn't happen," Mr Williamson said.

"It did," the witness replied.