Starr In Damages Claim Over Groping Allegation

Freddie Starr has brought a damages claim against a woman who claims he groped her when she was in the audience at a Jimmy Savile show when she was 15.

The 72-year-old comedian was at the High Court in London to face his accuser, Karin Ward, at the beginning of a two-week slander and libel trial.

The entertainer told Mr Justice Nicol, who is hearing the case without a jury, that he did not at first remember appearing on Clunk Click in March 1974, until footage showed him in the studio with Ms Ward behind him in the audience.

Questioned by David Price QC, Ms Ward's advocate, Starr denied the allegation he had groped her in Savile's dressing room and called her a "t**less wonder".

He said: "It just never happened.

"It was not in my moral compass. My moral compass will not allow me to do that."

Starr, who was in a wheelchair at the court, said he had never groped anyone and it was untrue that he had "wandering hands".

The father of five, who was married to the second of his four wives at the time, also denied Ms Ward's claim he smelt of alcohol which frightened her.

Starr told the court he did not drink, and never has done.

He is suing over interviews given to the BBC and ITV in October 2012 and statements on a website and in an eBook about Ms Ward's life.

Starr, of Studley, Warwickshire, claims he has lost £300,000 because of shows cancelled as a result of the claims.

Ms Ward, 56, denies the claims and is relying on the defences of justification and public interest.

Mr Price asked Starr about the evidence of another 15-year-old girl, who, like Ms Ward, was a pupil at Duncroft Approved School at the time, who claimed the comedian gave her a piece of his pubic hair as a "souvenir" of the evening.

He said: "I've never heard so much garbage in my life."

Mr Price said Starr's response in his witness statement was that it was not possible for this to happen because the very tight trousers he wore in the 1970s would have prevented him from putting his hand down his groin.

Starr replied: "That would be sick."

Mr Price said: "It would be sick if you did it, and would show a sexual interest in young girls of that age."

Starr said he was shocked when he heard about the girl's allegation: "I certainly wouldn't do that," he said.

"It's sick and disgusting."

Starr also dismissed as "fiction and lies" a claim by another 15-year-old girl who attended the show that he had engaged in a "passionate French kiss" with her.

"My wife was with me at that show. I had three lovely children," Starr said.

"I don't see how I could have acted so inappropriately."