Dave Lee Travis trial: DJ cleared of indecent assault

Former BBC DJ Dave Lee Travis said he had been through "a year and a half of hell", after he was cleared of 12 counts of indecent assault.

The jury at Southwark Crown Court failed to reach a decision on a further indecent assault count and one of sexual assault.

Mr Travis, 68, of Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, denied all charges against him during the four-week trial.

The alleged incidents dated from 1976 to 2008 and involved 11 women.

Speaking outside court after the not guilty verdicts were read out, Mr Travis said: "I am not over the moon about any of this today. I do not feel like there is a victory in any way, shape or form.

"On the contrary, I think you already know that I have been through a year and a half of hell on this."

Appearing emotional, he said he had not only endured a crown court trial but also a trial by media - and had had to sell his home to pay legal fees.

"I did lose my reputation as well, which I may try to get back later," said Mr Travis, adding that all he wanted to do was go home to be with his wife Marianne, who stood by his side on the court steps.
'Nonsensical'

Mr Travis was released on bail until a further hearing, to be held at the crown court on 24 February, to decide if there should be a retrial on the two outstanding charges.

The counts the jury could not decide on were an alleged indecent assault on a woman working on a pantomime in the early 1990s and an alleged sexual assault on a journalist who interviewed Mr Travis at his home in 2008.

The jurors had deliberated for about 20 hours before delivering the verdicts, with Mr Travis staring straight ahead as they did so.

He had maintained his innocence during the trial, telling the eight women and four men on the jury that the claims against him were "nonsensical" and that he was "cuddly" rather than "predatory".

The former Top of the Pops presenter told the court: "I'm a normal, decent human being. I play jokes on people. I cuddle people. And if there have been some sexual interactions in the past, it has been consensual."

Mr Travis was tried under his real name, David Patrick Griffin.