Judge’s widow makes tearful denial of ‘repulsive’ sexual abuse allegations
Lady Nourse is on trial for 17 counts of sexually abusing a boy under the age of 12
14 May 2021 • 9:31pm
Lady Nourse arrives at Peterborough Knights Hall, a temporary Nightingale court in the grounds of Peterborough Cathedral
Credit: Terry Harris
The elderly widow of a Court of Appeal judge wiped away tears in court as she denied the “completely repulsive” allegations that she sexually abused a young boy in the 1980s.
Lady Nourse, the widow of senior judge Sir Martin Nourse, who died in 2017, is on trial for 17 counts of sexually abusing a boy under the age of 12.
12:21 EDT, 13 May 2021
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An eyewitness saw Lady Lavinia Nourse sexually abuse a young boy twice while her late husband, a Court of Appeal judge, promised to deal with it , a court has heard.
Lady Lavinia, of Newmarket in Suffolk, is on trial at Peterborough s Nightingale court, in the Knight s Chamber at the city s cathedral, charged with historical sexual abuse.
The 77-year-old was married to Sir Martin Nourse, who died in 2017 aged 85.
Today, a woman told how she twice walked into a room and saw Lady Lavinia carrying out a sexual act on the boy.
Giving evidence, she claimed that she told Nourse s late husband what she had seen after each incident and he had promised to deal with it.
By Press Association 2021
Lady Lavinia Nourse
The widow of a Court of Appeal judge told police that her alleged sexual abuse of a young boy in the 1980s “simply never happened”, a court has heard.
Lady Lavinia Nourse, of Newmarket in Suffolk, is on trial at Peterborough’s Nightingale court, in the Knight’s Chamber at the city’s cathedral, charged with historical sexual abuse.
The 77-year-old was married to Sir Martin Nourse, who died in 2017 aged 85.
She was voluntarily interviewed about allegations of historical sexual abuse at Parkside police station in Cambridge in January 2019 with a solicitor present, the court heard on Thursday.
Dame Mary Archer gives evidence in historical sex abuse trial of judge’s widow 13/05/2021, 3:59 pm
A general view of the Nightingale court at Knights Chamber, Peterborough Cathedral Visitor And Learning Centre (Jacob King/PA)
Dame Mary Archer has given evidence as a defence witness at the trial of one of her “closest friends” Lady Lavinia Nourse, who is accused of historical sexual abuse.
Lady Lavinia, the widow of Court of Appeal judge Sir Martin Nourse, told police that the allegations against her were “Cloud Cuckooland”, jurors heard on Thursday.
Sir Martin died in 2017 aged 85.
His 77-year-old widow is on trial at Peterborough’s Nightingale court, in the Knight’s Chamber at the city’s cathedral, where she denies 17 counts of sexually abusing a boy under the age of 12.
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