McLachlan sent chocolates, apology note to co-star he allegedly indecently assaulted, court hears
Actor Craig McLachlan sent a female co-star chocolates and an apology note after he “grabbed her by the face” on-stage and brought her to tears, a court has heard.
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Gold Logie-winning actor Craig McLachlan sent chocolates and an apology letter to a Rocky Horror Picture Show co-star he allegedly indecently assaulted, a court has heard.
McLachlan, 53, in the letter, said he was sorry “for being cranky”.
It was sent to her after he allegedly grabbed the woman by her face during the stage production in Melbourne.
A friend of the alleged victim has relayed conversations she had with the complainant while giving evidence on Friday in a contested hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
“The one specific incident I recall … he had grabbed her by the face,” the friend said.
“She was in tears. She was actively distressed.
“The reason I remember it is because she was crying and I was about to get on a plane.
“I recall feeling awkward as she was obviously in distress but I had no choice but to get on the plane.
“I remember her saying there was an argument with the crew. She told me that she had gone to the resident director after the incident to ask for assistance. The resident director had said that McLachlan was angry.
“The following day she sent me a photo of some chocolates and an apology that had been written.”
The friend said the complainant also later was “sad, upset and scared” when telling her McLachlan had touched her inappropriately during the show, while he was playing Dr Frank-N-Furter.
“She had told me he had touched her vagina,” the friend told the court. “She said it happened on stage.”
On another occasion, she told the court, when the complainant was off with an injury, McLachlan sent her a message saying he missed her and wanted her to return “because he didn’t like the hygiene” of her understudy.
McLachlan was charged in January with a series of assault-related offences relating to four complainants.
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He denies the allegations.
The three-week hearing, before Magistrate Belinda Wallington, began last week, but has been closed to the public while complainants gave evidence.
It reopened on Friday.