Advertisement

  1. National

Jurors urged to forget about Travis' 'celebrity' status

Jurors at the trial of Dave Lee Travis have been urged to forget about his fame and treat him as a "normal member of the public", during the prosecution's closing speech. He denies 13 charges of indecent assault and one of sexual assault.

View all 79 updates ›

Witness: 'I was in a panic as Travis assaulted me on air'

A radio announcer has told the trial of Dave Lee Travis she was in a "panic" when the DJ grabbed her breasts while she was broadcasting live on BBC Radio 4.

The woman, who cannot be named, was introducing Woman's Hour on the radio station in the 1980s when the alleged incident happened, Southwark Crown Court heard.

DJ Dave Lee Travis arrives at Southwark Crown Court. Credit: Sean Dempsey/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Giving evidence behind a curtain, the woman said Travis walked into the studio she was in as she was about to go on air.

The woman added: "His hands came round under my arm pits and he put one hand on each breast," she said. "He started to move my breasts up and down."

Asked by prosecutor Miranda Moore QC how she felt at the time, she replied: "Well I imagine there was a feeling of sort of panic."

Radio 4 is a very serious network. I was making a serious announcement. I was just frightened I was going to mess up the announcement."

The woman said she would "not have been very lady-like" had she not been on air.

"I'm sure I would have screamed at him to get off me, probably with a few choice words" she said.

The alleged victim said Travis sat down after the incident "as if nothing had happened".

More on this story