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Clarke: Sex Assault Claims 'Off Richter Scale'

Clarke: Sex Assault Claims 'Off Richter Scale'

Former chancellor of the exchequer Ken Clarke has said allegations he sexually assaulted a young actor were "off the Richter scale".

The Conservative MP said the claims he had plied Ben Fellows with alcohol before groping him in the office of a political lobbyist were "like martians landing".

Fellows alleged he was molested by the veteran Tory politician during a cash-for-questions operation in 1994 for ITV's The Cook Report.

But giving evidence at the Old Bailey where Fellows, 40, is accused of perverting the course of justice by making up allegations against Mr Clarke, the former chancellor said: "It was quite a detailed allegation about place, incident - nothing to do with me.

"Apparently while chancellor of the exchequer I was hanging around the office of Ian Greer and groped a man.

"My recollection was it was like Martians landing."

Mr Clarke told the court he had become aware of the allegations, which Fellows made in autumn 2012, after his son had spotted them online.

He said his son had been upset by the claims and he described Fellows as a "stalker". He added he "was being pursued by some fantasist and the social media seeking notoriety".

He dismissed the claims and said he had "never had the compulsion" to grope a man. He said: "It's preposterous. It's off the Richter scale. It was a remarkable series of events."

And he said he didn't apply for a court injunction to prevent the matter coming to light in public because he didn’t want to spend "vast amounts of money" and turn the issue "into a circus".

Fellows made a statement to the police as part of Operation Fairbank, the investigation into historic child sex abuse in Westminster.

He said a number of people working on the Cook Report were aware of the alleged assault.

Fellows, who lives in Solihull, denies the charge.

The trial continues.