Aussie actor Craig McLachlan complained about the hygiene of a female thespian’s private parts to the woman he is accused of sexually assaulting.
McLachlan is facing multiple charges, including counts of indecent assault, one of attempted indecent assault and others of assault, involving four complainants who were part of a production of the Rocky Horror Show.
In the first open hearing of the actor’s contested hearing in Melbourne, the court heard McLachlan had contacted his injured co-star in 2014 pleading for her to come back to work.
The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court has been closed all week while four of McLachlan’s alleged victims gave evidence.
A friend of one of the victims, theatre producer Lisa Campbell, said she had told her that McLachlan asked her to return due to ‘hygiene issues’ with her understudy.
Craig McLachlan Is facing multiple charges, including counts of indecent assault, one of attempted indecent assault and others of assault, involving four complainants who were part of a production of the Rocky Horror Show
The Australian actor arrived at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court with his partner Vanessa Scammell
‘Her vagina smells,’ McLachlan allegedly told the victim.
Mrs Campbell further claimed McLachlan’s co-star was sexually assaulted on stage during live production of the popular musical.
‘She told me he had touched her vagina,’ she said. ‘It occurred on stage … I believe it was that part of the show … In bed … It occurred there.’
The victim told Mrs Campbell she was ‘sad, upset and scared’ while discussing the incident.
The victim further alleged McLachlan assaulted her one night during another performance.
The alleged incident happened after McLachlan got into a verbal altercation with another performer.
‘There had been an argument and he grabbed her by the face,’ Mrs Campbell said. ‘She was crying a great deal.’
The victim claimed McLachlan had also clapped loudly in her face during ‘curtain call’ in an alleged attempt to intimidate her.
The charges allegedly occurred during production of the Rocky Horror Show musical
Mrs Campbell said McLachlan later bought her friend chocolates and apologised for ‘being cranky’.
He signed the note ‘Uncle Craig’.
The court heard the victim did not tell her friend about the alleged sexual assault until years after the event – at the height of the ‘Me Too’ scandal involving disgraced US film producer Harvey Weinstein.
McLachlan’s barrister Stuart Littlemore, QC described the victim as ‘sexually suggestive’ and would routinely kiss and hug his client.
She would also partake in playful games of hide and seek, he said.
Mr Littlemore described his client as a ‘Lovvie’ – an actor who behaves with ‘much cartoon and lampoon’.
‘He is fulsome in his complements,’ he said.
Mr Littlemore described McLachlan’s ‘theatrical behaviour’ as his ‘shtick’.
Mrs Campbell described McLachlan as a ‘large character’.
She denied the victim had ever told her she only realised she had been sexually assaulted by McLachlan after the Weinstein story broke.
‘I don’t recall that,’ she said.
The court heard the victim had expressed distress over her dealings with McLachlan in October 2014, but it had nothing to do with allegations of sexual asault.
‘I had a nightmare about Craig McLachlan,’ she texted Mrs Campbell. ‘It’s made me feel so low thinking about all that Rocky sh*t again.’
When pressed, the victim complained McLachlan had been backstabbing her.
‘He told lies and f**ked my reputation and now he’s coming crawling back,’ she wrote.
The court heard the victim did not tell her friend about the alleged sexual assault until years after the event – at the height of the ‘Me Too’ scandal involving disgraced US film producer Harvey Weinstein.
As the hearing continued, another actor told the court McLachlan had walked into another female actor while she was in the shower after a show.
‘I recall her being upset and disappointed that that had occurred,’ he said.
McLachlan denies the accusations and a magistrate will decide whether or not to find him guilty after a contested hearing expected to run for three weeks.
In opening the case, prosecutor Matt Fisher said some of the allegations related to a bedroom scene in which McLachlan was meant to be simulating a sex act while out of sight from the audience.
‘It is alleged the accused went beyond the role he was directed to perform,’ Mr Fisher said.
It is alleged McLachlan kissed one woman actor’s neck, stomach and buttocks during a scene on more than 20 occasions.
On one occasion, he also allegedly ‘used his finger to trace around the outline of (the victim’s) vagina’.
McLachlan has also been accused of pushing his groin into the stomach area of another woman while he was wearing black boxer shorts with a tiger on the crotch, while his penis was partially erect.
He allegedly kissed the same woman during a show, without being directed to do so, forcing his tongue into her mouth.
McLachlan has also been accused of tickling another woman’s foot and reaching up towards her groin, while he was out of sight of the audience.
McLachlan took notes throughout the proceeding on Friday, shaking his head in disbelief during certain sections of evidence.
The hearing continues.
