Ken Clarke abuse claim: MP denies molesting Ben Fellows

Ex-chancellor of the exchequer Ken Clarke has denied molesting an actor who claims he was sexually assaulted by the MP as a young man.
Ben Fellows, 40, of Solihull, alleges the Conservative MP plied him with alcohol and abused him in 1994.
Mr Fellows is on trial at the Old Bailey in London where he denies perverting the course of justice by making a false claim against Mr Clarke.
The 75-year-old politician told the court the claim was "preposterous".
Jurors have heard that in 2012 Mr Fellows told national news reporters Mr Clarke had assaulted him in the office of political lobbyist Ian Greer during a cash-for-questions sting by ITV's The Cook Report.

'Like Martians landing'

Some stories were published in print and online.
Mr Fellows went on to make a police statement as part of Operation Fairbank - an investigation into child sex abuse claims at Westminster - saying he had been working as an undercover actor and there were a number of people also working on the show at the time who were aware of the assault.


Giving evidence, Mr Clarke, the MP for Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire, said it had been quite a detailed allegation but nothing to do with him.
"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."

'Off the Richter scale'

He said he had been visited by police in 2013 who informed him of Mr Fellows' claim, and told them he was already of aware of it.
"I was first alerted by my son, who uses the internet, and he spotted somebody called Ben Fellows was making rather nasty allegations against me on the internet which upset my son and upset me as well.
"My staff made attempts to get it taken down but it was hopeless.
"By the time the police arrived I was aware what there was on the internet and newspapers. This guy for some reason was making this allegation against me over and over again trying to publicise it."
He denied knowing Mr Greer or going to his Westminster office and described Mr Fellows as a "stalker".
He said he had "never had the compulsion" to grope a man and added: "It's preposterous. It's off the Richter scale. It was a remarkable series of events."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-33677402?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_england&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=english_regions

Another chancer comes out of the woodwork.

nicko wrote:Another chancer comes out of the woodwork.

power corrupts or seeming turns you in to a sexual predator,
but they are only allegations i guess ,but why would he make this up ?

It's actually Mr Fellows who is on trial - let's not forget that.

Why do people make things up? Bandwagon jumping, pound signs in their eyes, a few minutes of "fame"?

Raggamuffin wrote:It's actually Mr Fellows who is on trial - let's not forget that.

Why do people make things up? Bandwagon jumping, pound signs in their eyes, a few minutes of "fame"?

Indeed Raggs But as i said only allegations

but the allegations where made before the court case

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:It's actually Mr Fellows who is on trial - let's not forget that.

Why do people make things up? Bandwagon jumping, pound signs in their eyes, a few minutes of "fame"?

Indeed Raggs But as i said only allegations

but the allegations where made before the court case

Yes - that's why there's a court case.

Well as these new dossiers have 'come to light' with evidence not seen before, and when they are being splashed all over the Australian media (even though our press is trying very hard to avoid them), I wonder if Ken Clarke is worried what is in them or whether his conscience is clear.

I just think that if Ben Fellows had a complaint, he should have said so at the time. Failing that, he should have told only the police in 2012, not some random reporters. I'm a bit tired of people hurling around these random accusations at the drop of a hat. The first Ken Clarke heard about this was when his son read it on the internet.

Having said that, Fellows is not on trial for libel or slander, he's on trial for perverting the course of justice - ie, for allegedly making a false statement to the police.

Raggamuffin wrote:I just think that if Ben Fellows had a complaint, he should have said so at the time. Failing that, he should have told only the police in 2012, not some random reporters. I'm a bit tired of people hurling around these random accusations at the drop of a hat. The first Ken Clarke heard about this was when his son read it on the internet.

Having said that, Fellows is not on trial for libel or slander, he's on trial for perverting the course of justice - ie, for allegedly making a false statement to the police.

to be honest you could say the same for all the victims of this kind of thing but it`s only recently that these things have come out since savile in fact  some times seeing others getting justice can motivate others to come forward about  the abuse they suffered
and if as he claims there were a number of people also working on the show at the time who were aware of the assault.

then something fishy going on

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:I just think that if Ben Fellows had a complaint, he should have said so at the time. Failing that, he should have told only the police in 2012, not some random reporters. I'm a bit tired of people hurling around these random accusations at the drop of a hat. The first Ken Clarke heard about this was when his son read it on the internet.

Having said that, Fellows is not on trial for libel or slander, he's on trial for perverting the course of justice - ie, for allegedly making a false statement to the police.

to be honest you could say the same for all the victims of this kind of thing but it`s only recently that these things have come out since savile in fact  some times seeing others getting justice can motivate others to come forward about  the abuse they suffered
and if as he claims there were a number of people also working on the show at the time who were aware of the assault.

then something fishy going on

I'd like to see an end to these accusations to the media really. If someone has a complaint, go to the police. They should keep their mouths shut until there's a trial as well. Too many lives are being affected by this being splashed all over the internet.

Roger Cook has said he doesn't even remember Fellows working on the show.

Raggamuffin wrote:

korban dallas wrote:
to be honest you could say the same for all the victims of this kind of thing but it`s only recently that these things have come out since savile in fact  some times seeing others getting justice can motivate others to come forward about  the abuse they suffered
and if as he claims there were a number of people also working on the show at the time who were aware of the assault.

then something fishy going on

I'd like to see an end to these accusations to the media really. If someone has a complaint, go to the police. They should keep their mouths shut until there's a trial as well. Too many lives are being affected by this being splashed all over the internet.

Many did go to the police and they where ignored or dismissed because the person accused was high profile or had power even thatcher coverd stuff up because of how it would look but i agre trial by media is not helpfull in the short tearm but it can motivate true victims to come forward and unfortunately can bring out the gold diggers

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

I'd like to see an end to these accusations to the media really. If someone has a complaint, go to the police. They should keep their mouths shut until there's a trial as well. Too many lives are being affected by this being splashed all over the internet.

Many did go to the police and they where ignored or dismissed because the person accused was high profile or had power even thatcher coverd stuff up because of how it would look but i agre trial by media is not helpfull in the short tearm but it can motivate true victims to come forward and unfortunately can bring out the gold diggers

I think the disadvantages of going to the press outweigh the advantages really. One false accusation like that can ruin someone's life, and that's not fair.

Raggamuffin wrote:Roger Cook has said he doesn't even remember Fellows working on the show.

interesting you got a link for that ?

NM found it

korban dallas wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:Roger Cook has said he doesn't even remember Fellows working on the show.

interesting you got a link for that ?

Here's one. I think it's reported by others too.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/tvs-roger-cook-never-heard-9721875

looks like his goose is cooked (no pun intended )

Raggamuffin wrote:

korban dallas wrote:
interesting you got a link for that ?

Here's one. I think it's reported by others too.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/tvs-roger-cook-never-heard-9721875

Ta

korban dallas wrote:looks like his goose is cooked (no pun intended )

I guess he might have forgotten. Freddie Starr said he never met Karin Ward too, but she was on TOTP when he was. That doesn't mean that he did what she said he did though. I thought that was dreadful. I'm not a fan of his in particular, but he seemed devastated by what he was accused of.

Raggamuffin wrote:

korban dallas wrote:looks like his goose is cooked (no pun intended )

I guess he might have forgotten. Freddie Starr said he never met Karin Ward too, but she was on TOTP when he was. That doesn't mean that he did what she said he did though. I thought that was dreadful. I'm not a fan of his in particular, but he seemed devastated by what he was accused of.

he might have forgotten i know i certainly don`t remember people i worked for or with that long ago or in deed what i did on any individual day or time

Can't copy it, but an order has been lifted so that a 2nd probe into abuse by Ken Clarke can be reported:

http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5624/ken-clarke-police-investigate-second-claim-of-indecent-assault

See I keep thinking about these people being named: why some MPs and not others? Why some entertainers and not others?

You google Bruce Forsyth: nothing

Is that because he has never, ever done anything wrong?
Yes.

So why are some people's slates clean and others' have a long list of allegations???

Perhaps because it's simply that some have done wrong, and some haven't?

sassy wrote:Perhaps because it's simply that some have done wrong, and some haven't?

Exactly that. Is there ever smoke without even a Tiny little flicker of a flame?

30or 40 years ago I squeezed a few boobs and bums, I know I did but I can't remember whose.

30or 40 years ago I squeezed a few boobs and bums, I know I did but I can't remember whose.