Former Radio 1 DJ, Dave Lee Travis arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London yesterday.
AFP/London
Disc jockey Dave Lee Travis said claims that he groped a young woman live on BBC television were “insane”, as he gave testimony in his trial yesterday.
The 68-year-old, one of the biggest names in British broadcasting during the 1970s and 1980s, said it was illogical that he would assault women if they were chasing after him for his star status.
Travis, who counted Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi among his fans, denies committing 13 indecent assaults and one sexual assault dating back to 1976.
The jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court has seen footage of the presenter allegedly touching a young woman inappropriately as he introduced a song by The Smurfs on the BBC’s flagship music TV show “Top of the Pops” in 1978.
“That is a completely insane claim, and it’s especially insane because I’ve seen the video,” Travis told the court, saying his career would have been killed “stone dead” had he groped the woman.
Travis asked jurors to “think logically about it”. “If these women supposedly are chasing after me because I was the pop star of the day, the question would have to be, why would I go and assault somebody?
“I don’t like the idea of assaulting women in any way, shape or form.”
Travis - who spent 25 years presenting on BBC Radio 1, and also hosted a music request show on BBC World Service radio - said the sheer numbers of alleged victims was “doing his head in”.
“You are never too big in this industry, you can be knocked over very quickly and I don’t believe in taking risks with my business and I certainly don’t believe in attacking young girls,” he said. “Yes, my position was quite high up within the echelons of DJs but nobody is bigger than the station - ever.”
He told the jury on Monday that he did not have a “predatory nature” with women, but that he was a “cuddly” and “tactile” person. Travis, being tried under his real name of David Griffin, said allegations that he assaulted a teenager in his Radio 1 studio during a live broadcast were “just lies, out and out”. “I don’t have to recall that as it never happened.” Denying further claims that he groped two female journalists, Travis said: “After this I will never have an interview with a female again without somebody else sitting there with me (to oversee him).
“It just breaks my heart,” he added.