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TV slimmer denies abusing girls
TV slimming personality Barry Bethell allegedly sexually assaulted four girls aged under 13 after luring them to his home, a court has heard.
Jurors were told he gave them gifts and said he could help them become models.
Bethell, of Whitstable, Kent, attacked them during singing lessons at his home, Canterbury Crown Court heard.
He denies six charges of sexual assault and eight of downloading indecent images of children, but has admitted other indecency offences.
Those include downloading indecent images of children and taking indecent images of children, Tanya Robinson told the jury as she opened the case for the prosecution on Thursday. He denies one charge of taking indecent images of children
Bethell, of Kimberley Grove, became the face of SlimFast in the early 1990s and has worked as a radio DJ for several Kent stations.
Erotic poses
Ms Robinson said Bethell encouraged girls to visit his home in Whitstable between October 2004 and February 2008.
She said the girls, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, would sing in his recording studio.
While there he would encourage them to carry out flexibility exercises and breathing exercises, during which he touched them indecently, Ms Robinson added.
The court was told that he progressed to taking photographs of the girls in erotic poses.
Jurors also heard that during their investigations officers seized a number of computers from Mr Bethell's home and discovered a number of indecent images of children, two of which showed the most extreme level of abuse, level five.
'Kind of scary'
Giving evidence via video-link, the jury heard from the first of his alleged victims, now aged 12.
She said he began touching her, hugging her and kissing her on the lips.
"I didn't say anything because I'm in his house on my own and it's kind of scary," she said.
"I was just afraid to say anything just in case he'd take it the wrong way and then go mad."
The trial continues.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Radio DJ put hand in my knickers, claims 12-year-old girl
Friday, November 14, 2008, 20:03
A 12-YEAR-old girl has told a court how a former radio DJ gave her a cuddle and put his hand in her knickers.
She was giving evidence via a video link at the trial of Barry Bethell, accused of 15 counts of child sex offences.
They range from sexual assault to downloading child porn. He denies the charges.
The schoolgirl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was invited into his Seasalter home after he heard her singing.
"He used to squeeze my bottom and kissed me on the lips which made me feel awkward," she said.
"He would sit behind me while I did breathing exercises. He said would improve my singing."
It is during these 'exercises' that Bethell is alleged to have put his hand in her underwear on at least 10 separate occasions.
"When I'd just started wearing a bra he hugged me and could feel the strap under my top," she said.
"He asked me to show him and I said no but he asked again.
"I was worried that he would get angry and was aware I was in his home so I pulled up my top."
Bethell is accused of grooming four girls - luring them with the use of his home music recording studio at Kimberley Grove.
"He offered to photograph them for modelling and put the girls in erotic poses, remove clothing, stand and lie in particular positions, exposing private parts," prosecutor Tanya Robinson told Canterbury Crown Court.
He also bought the girls expensive gifts including laptop computers and i-pods - "as a bribe," one alleged victim claimed.
Bethell, who was also the face of slimming product Slim Fast on TV ads, has already pleaded guilty to eight other sex abuse charges which include taking indecent pictures - one of a young girl simulating oral sex with a Peperami sausage.
Police also recovered 32 images from his home computer downloaded from child porn websites Cute Angels and Hot Lolita Models.
Bethell was arrested in early February after the alleged victims confided in a baby sitter.
The trial continues
DJ 'watched as girl changed clothes'
An 11-year-old girl told a jury how DJ Barry Bethell watched her as she changed her clothes at his home.
The schoolgirl had gone to the bungalow in Seasalter after being caught in rain during a journey home.
She told at jury at Canterbury Crown Court how she asked the TV personality if she could change out of her soaked school trousers.
But, it was alleged, as she stripped in his bedroom, Bethell, 65, stood and watched her before rubbing her thigh with a towel.
Through a CCTV link, the youngster said: “It was weird and very strange. He was just standing around when I was getting changed. It was just scary.”
Bethell, of Kimberley Grove, denies 15 charges of sex assault, taking and making indecent images of children.
But he has admitted eight other offences, including five of taking indecent images of a girl.
The schoolgirl also alleged she witnessed Bethell “kissing, hugging and bottom-pinching” other girls at his home, between 2004 and January, this year.
She said she first met the TV celebrity through a friend who was “doing some singing” at recording studios at his home.
The girl said: “It was a bit exciting and I asked if I could go with her.”
She said that during subsequent visits she saw Bethell “hugging and kissing and pinching bottoms” but added: “At the time I didn’t think it was weird.”
In January, she was on her way home from school in the rain and had forgotten her bus money and decided to go to Bethell’s home to change into dry trousers.
“He didn’t leave the room when I got changed and I thought that was a little bit scary.
“I didn’t say anything because I was in his house.”
She claimed that while changing, Bethell arrived with a towel and began drying her thigh before she changed into the dry clothes.
The jury heard that later when she had a conversation about the incident with a friend, the matter was reported to the police.
Earlier, a 14-year-old girl claimed that Bethell had encouraged her to do “breathing exercises” and competitions to “do the splits”.
The prosecution has alleged that Bethell had used his celebrity status to entice young girls to his home where he plied them with sweets and presents.
It was claimed that he had promised the girls help with modelling and singing careers but during visits had sexually assaulted them with “inappropriate kissing and touching.”
The case continues.
