Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell has told a jury that his "little dark secrets" are a string of one-night stands and not the sexual abuse of a young girl.
The soap actor's private life has been laid bare in court as he admitted being an alcoholic, having one-night stands and an affair - as his wife underwent chemotherapy for breast cancer.
But the 48-year-old, who has played garage mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV1 soap for 30 years, denies he is a child rapist as he defends himself against 12 charges of sexual abuse.
Continuing his cross-examination at Manchester Crown Court by Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, Le Vell told the jury of a conversation he had with someone last year about "secrets".
He told the person: "I have had a few one-night stands."
He said he had a similar conversation four years ago but did not reveal the secrets.
Le Vell agreed also telling the same person that what he had done was "something unforgiveable".
But he denied ever saying that they would not be believe "what things are inside my head".
"You said that?", asked Miss Laws.
"No," he replied.
The barrister continued: "It would be a very odd thing to have said if you were talking about one-night stands."
Le Vell said: "It would not make sense."
Miss Laws said: "I am going to suggest to you that what you were referring to was the abuse that was going on?"
"No, not at all," he replied. "There was no abuse going on."
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims Le Vell repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped her, once while she was clutching a teddy bear.
Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, denies five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.
Miss Laws said: "I am going to suggest to you that the secret is not the one-night stands but something far more sinister."
"No," said Le Vell. "I totally disagree."
Le Vell told the court he is an alcoholic, drinking seven or eight pints every night at his local pub.
Ms Laws continued: "Because something was troubling you... to go out every night?"
Le Vell replied: "No, I went out every night because I'm working class."
The actor said his wife had allowed him to go out every night.
"So it's partly her fault?" Ms Laws said.
"I'm not blaming her for going out but she enabled me to go out," Le Vell said.
"I suggest you were finding it difficult to live with yourself," Ms Laws said, "Once this abuse started, you just could not stop yourself."
Le Vell replied: "No. Absolutely not."
"And the problem with you is you could do what you wanted to," Ms Laws continued.
"Do you think you were also cosseted in your job?"
"I was cocooned," Le Vell said.
Ms Laws: "You led quite a charmed life until September 2011?"
Le Vell agreed he led a "luxury, charmed life because of my job".
Ms Laws went on: "Luxury but troubled because something was eating you up?"
"No," Le Vell said.
Ms Laws put it to Le Vell that he groomed the victim and gradually "pushed the limits".
"Not that you were not ashamed about this but you could not stop it?" Ms Laws said.
Le Vell replied: "It never happened."
Ms Laws: "You started to say things to her? Talk to her, say things like 'It's OK.'.This was grooming.
"It became a little bit more sinister after a while."
Le Vell replied: "No."
Ms Laws: "Rubbing up her leg?"
Le Vell: "Definitely not."
Ms Laws: "Rubbing her, 'I'm just getting rid of the evil'."
Le Vell: "No."
Ms Laws: "And it moved on to you making her touch your penis?"
Le Vell: "No, not at all."
Ms Laws: "Then it moved on to touching her intimately?"
Le Vell: "No."
Ms Laws: "You started to rape her?"
Le Vell: "No."
Ms Laws: "She just lay there, didn't she?"
Le Vell: "No, because it didn't happen."
Ms Laws: "She was not resisting, there was nothing to stop you except yourself. You did it, didn't you?"
Le Vell: "No."
The trial continues.
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