Nigel Evans: ‘You’re trying to make me out to be a cross between Alan Clark, Oscar Wilde and Benny Hill’
MP Nigel Evans has denied that he is “lecherous” during heated exchanges in court.
Under cross-examination during his trial at Preston Crown Court, the former deputy speaker of the House of Commons at times raised his voice and appeared to be irritated by the line of questioning.
The 56-year-old was cross-examined on the nine separate allegations he faces by prosecutor Mark Heywood QC.
Referring to the first two allegations that, while in public, he placed his hand in the trousers of men, Mr Heywood asked him: “There is evidence in each of these two incidents that what took place was without any eye contact. Was this you using hands where words were not available to you?”
Mr Evans replied: “No. It is trying to make me out to be a cross between Alan Clark, Benny Hill and Oscar Wilde.
“It’s ridiculous. The answer is no.”
Asked about another young man who alleges that Mr Evans put his hand down his trousers in a bar in Soho in 2003, the MP told the jury: “It’s more likely that he would have more of an attraction to me than the other way round.”
He added that the man had asked him out on Facebook “a couple of times”.
The Ribble Valley MP was asked several times if he had any recollection of an alleged incident at the Conservative Party conference in 2003 when a former party worker says the MP put his hand in his trousers.
The MP seemed irritated and told the jury that he goes to conferences all the time and meets thousands of people, eventually saying he had no recollection of the alleged incident.
Mr Evans was asked about allegations that he “cupped” the genitals of another man shortly after being introduced to him in the Strangers Bar.
The MP said: “With several people watching? No.”
“Do you appreciate how absurd that sounds?”
Mr Heywood replied: “It is better you do not ask questions from here, Mr Evans.”
The jury heard that Mr Evans was celibate for a long period until he began actively seeking sexual relationships from 2000.
Mr Evans denies rape, two indecent assaults and six sexual assaults.
He is alleged to have committed the offences between 2002 and last year.
The trial continues.
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