VETERAN DJ Dave Lee Travis has told a jury that claims he was filmed groping a young female fan while presenting Top Of The Pops in 1978 are "insane".

The former BBC star is alleged to have put his hand up the girl's skirt during a live edition of the show.

Travis, who is on trial at London's Southwark Crown Court accused of indecently assaulting 10 women and sexually assaulting another, denies all the charges.

Asked by Stephen Vullo, for the defence, if the claims relating to the chart show were true, Mr Travis replied: "No, it's not. It's not even close. That is a completely insane claim, and it's especially insane because I've seen the video."

Mr Travis, now 68, said he had no recollection of the supposed incident.

Asked by Mr Vullo what the effect would have been on his career if he had done it, Mr Travis said: "If I had been caught doing that in the Top Of The Pops studio I should have thought the book would have been thrown at me and I would have been out of the BBC."

Mr Travis said that as the presenter he was the "lowest of the low" compared to the show's director and production team and there was no way that the footage would have been adapted by them so the alleged assault could not be seen by viewers.

Mr Travis, from Buckinghamshire, denies 13 indecent assaults and one sexual assault, dating back to 1976 and the height of his career.

Appearing under his birth name David Griffin, Mr Travis said he did not like being asked whether he had ever cheated on his wife, to whom he has been married since 1971. But questioned by Mr Vullo if he had ever "fallen into temptation", Mr Travis admitted he had "once or twice". "Consensual, if I might add."

Mr Travis went on: "If these women supposedly are chasing after me because I was the pop star of the day, the question would have to be, why would I go and assault somebody?

"I don't like the idea of assaulting women in any way, shape or form."

The trial continues today.