Actor Craig McLachlan’s lawyer claims co-stars showed ‘slutty’ behaviour: court
Craig McLachlan’s lawyer has made a controversial claim in court about the co-stars who have accused the actor of indecent assault.
Aussie actor Craig McLachlan’s lawyer has claimed in court that four women accusing the performer of indecent assault displayed “slutty” behaviour.
The Gold Logie winner is facing 13 charges, including seven counts of indecent assault and six counts of common law assault, against four women during a run of the Rocky Horror Show.
A decision in the case against the 55-year-old will be handed down next month, more than a year after he first appeared in court to fight the allegations.
Photos of the alleged victims in “slutty” positions and a “lesbian pose” were part of the 160-page written defence submissions, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard on Monday.
Defence barrister Stuart Littlemore QC explained his use of the word “slutty” in the documents.
“I’m going to call a spade a spade,” the lawyer said.
“The photos do depict people in slutty poses and deliberately so. It’s not to be sanitised, it’s not be diluted, this is part of the culture of permissiveness.”
The allegations include claims the former soap star touched a woman’s genitalia over her costume on stage, that he stuck his tongue into one woman’s mouth and that he felt up a woman’s thigh. He also allegedly thrust his groin at a woman while partially aroused.
The former Neighbours and Home and Away star has denied all the charges against him.
Prosecutor Matt Fisher labelled the “slut” remarks as inflammatory and inappropriate.
He earlier said using the photos as an “excuse” for McLachlan’s alleged behaviour towards the women was “impermissible” in this day and age.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington said the term was unfortunate.
“Some of the terms used … are most unfortunate. Phrases like sluts, slutty poses are most unfortunate,” she said.
The court “doesn’t necessarily approve” of some of the language in the submissions, the magistrate went on to say.
In one part of the submissions Mr Littlemore wrote one of the co-stars adopted a “lesbian pose”.
Mr Littlemore went on to describe an alleged victim’s appearance as “artfully dishevelled” when she gave evidence at an earlier hearing.
He said her testimony was a “skilful application of the craft of acting”.
“That’s an old school submission … with no basis, it belongs in the dark ages,” the prosecutor responded.
The magistrate told the lawyers she would ignore any submission in relation to the clothing of complainants.
The prosecution argued that McLachlanr used his position of power to assault the women and the “power imbalance” made them feel they were unable to speak up until the show’s run was over.
“They were concerned what the accused had done to them and concerned about what he might do to others,” he said of why the women came forward.
Mr Fisher told the court about allegations McLachlan told co-stars he would “end them” and that they “don’t know who you’re dealing with”.
They were also worried about their employment prospects if they spoke up, he said.
The actor was questioned about the allegations over three days of evidence and vehemently denied the claims.
He even burst into song to demonstrate how it was “impossible” for him to have stuck his tongue into a co-star’s mouth on stage.
“If I am late in that … because I fancy a snog, I miss the next lighting cue,” Mr McLachlan told the court after he finished a few lines from the song.
Mr McLachlan also labelled one of his accuser’s as the “most vulgar woman” he knew or ever encountered.
But when videos were aired of the award-winning performer sitting on the toilet and pulling faces he denied his behaviour was equally vulgar.
Another video aired in court showed Mr McLachlan pretending to pleasure himself.
McLachlan said the videos were meant in a “comedic” sense.
Ms Wallington will hand down her decision in mid-December.