Former BBC presenters Julie and Tony Wadsworth ‘had sex in park in front of boys’, court hears

Two married former BBC radio presenters indecently assaulted underage boys in parkland and had sex outdoors in front of children as young as 11, a court has heard.

It is alleged that Julie Wadsworth, 60, and her husband Tony, 69, encouraged seven boys to take part in sexual activity in woods in Warwickshire between 1992 and 1996.

The couple, from Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, deny indecent assault and outraging public decency by having sex against a tree in full view of boys.

Prosecutor Miranda Moore said the couple were known to the public as Wadsworth and Mayer, Julie’s on-air surname, and had worked at the BBC’s former studios at Pebble Mill in Birmingham.

Miss Moore told the court Julie Wadsworth had engaged in numerous sex acts with boys in parkland while her husband acted as a look-out.

According to the alleged victims, she dressed in a "flasher’s mac" trench coat with high heels, stockings, suspenders and a split-skirt when the offences were carried out.

Miss Moore told Warwick Crown Court: "Not only did they have sex in the open but they did it in the open knowing and taking delight in the fact that young lads were watching, and they encouraged the young lads to view the sexual encounters.

"The boys at the time were all too young by law to be participants in any sort of sexual activity.

"Julie would encourage one of the boys at a time to engage in sexual activity. Julie was doing the activity but Tony was there."

The prosecution alleges that Tony Wadsworth, who presented programmes with his wife on BBC Radio Leicester and Birmingham-based BBC WM, is guilty of indecent assault in the same way that an intruder’s look-out would be guilty of burglary.

Miss Moore told the jury: "She had sexual activity with these young boys again and again.

"He must have realised exactly what his wife was up to. He was there, positioned close enough to be seen and close enough to warn."

Miss Moore said one of the alleged victims came forward after googling details of the couple following a news report about two presenters being charged with offences dating back to the 1990s.

He recognised Mrs Wadsworth as "being the woman who had had a sex encounter with him" when he was 14, the court heard.

Tony Wadsworth denies 10 charges of indecent assault while Julie Wadsworth denies 12 charges of indecent assault.

Both deny five counts of outraging public decency.

The trial continues.

(c) Sky News 2017: Former BBC presenters Julie and Tony Wadsworth ‘had sex in park in front of boys’, court hears