Jurors should not find veteran disc jockey Dave Lee Travis guilty of sex offences because he has been used as a scapegoat for Jimmy Savile's crimes, his defence barrister has told a court.
Concluding his closing speech, Stephen Vullo said Travis, 68, was the victim of a "witch hunt" and appealed to jurors to acquit the ex-BBC presenter of the 13 indecent assault charges and one sexual assault charge of which he is accused. Mr Vullo told jurors at Southwark Crown Court, London: "Police and the authorities missed Jimmy Savile, they missed him.
"In any society when something goes wrong, a harvest fails, there is a reaction, an understandable reaction. Nobody wants sexual predators to get away with their crimes.
"Everybody wants them to be brought to justice, but there is no justice whatsoever in overreaction, bringing a 68-year-old man of impeccable character to this court and muddying his name to make us feel better about Jimmy Savile.
"It would not right that wrong."
Travis denies indecently assaulting 10 women and sexually assaulting another in incidents dating back to 1976. It is alleged the incidents happened at times when he was working as a BBC DJ, as a broadcaster with Classic Gold radio, while appearing on Top of the Pops and when starring in panto.
The trial continues.
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