A world-renowned Suffolk harpist accused of taking the virginity of a schoolboy more than three decades ago told police the teenager had sexually assaulted her, a court has heard.
During police interviews read to a jury at Ipswich Crown Court Danielle Perrett denied sexually assaulting the teenager after allegedly getting into bed with him at her London flat and claimed he had “tried it on with her” while she was in the shower.
Perrett, who has played for The Queen and several prime ministers, claimed that she “froze in shock” after the alleged victim came into the shower and held her arms while pushing his groin against her in an unsuccessful attempt to have sex with her.
She told police she had been crying and telling him to stop during the alleged incident and hadn’t reported what happened to the police because she couldn’t face giving evidence in a trial.
She described the allegations made against her as “lies” and told police she had never liked the alleged victim who she described as “devious, scheming and untrustworthy”.
She said that when he contacted her around 20 years after staying at her flat she thought he was thinking of trying to blackmail her.
She denied ever having an interest in teenage boys and said she wasn’t a paedophile.
She told police she had been angry when Richard Barton-Wood, who was her partner at the time, turned up at her flat with the boy and said she hadn’t been aware of Barton-Wood sexually assaulting him during the visit.
Perrett, 59, of Bridge Street, Alpheton, has denied eight offences of indecent assault.
Barton-Wood, 68, of Church Street, Wymondham, Norfolk, has denied six offences of indecent assault, one of attempted buggery and one of attempted indecent assault in relation to the same alleged victim.
The allegations date back to the 1980s.
William Carter, prosecuting, has claimed the alleged victim of the offences was sexually assaulted by Barton-Wood on his boat which he kept at Pin Mill and at a house in Debenham.
Following his arrest Barton-Wood denied having any sexual contact with the alleged victim.
Both Barton-Wood and Perrett told police that when the alleged victim contacted them several years after the visit to Perrett’s London flat they thought he was going to blackmail them.
The trial continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here