Country music mogul ‘bragged that he knew The Beatles before raping a 15-year-old girl’
Mervyn Conn had hired the teen to dress as a cowgirl at a music festival he promoted at Wembley Arena in the 1970s, a court heard
COUNTRY music mogul Mervyn Conn bragged about knowing The Beatles before raping a 15-year-old girl, a court heard.
The "arrogant" impresario had hired the teenager to dress as a cowgirl at a Country and Western music festival he promoted at Wembley Arena in the 1970s, a jury heard.
Conn, now 81, name-dropped The Fab Four and US singer Crystal Gayle to the schoolgirl before forcing himself on her, Kingston Crown Court heard.
He sexually assaulted her while she wore the cowgirl outfit and her school uniform and then raped her in his marital bed with a picture of him and his wife on the bedside, it is alleged.
Conn is accused of flaunting his Rolls Royce and expensive home to show how he "could control, manipulate and do anything he wanted."
The girl said she was scared of him because he "had this bouffant hair, smelt like cigars, looked almost like he was in the Mafia", the court heard.
The woman, now 56, broke down in tears and became extremely distressed as she recalled the alleged abuse in a video recorded police interview played to jurors.
She said she was employed by Conn as a hostess in 1976, and was made to hand out brochures to festivalgoers while dressed in a cowgirl uniform.
She said: "I went to an interview at his head office and was shortlisted.
"He asked if my parents knew. I gave him my date of birth definitely."
The teen was then called back to his office for a uniform fitting, where Conn asked her to "give him a twirl."
The woman went on: "I was working at this festival for a long weekend at Easter that year.
"I was standing near the entrance handing out brochures and he just appeared out of nowhere with a cloth bag and said 'I need you to look after this for me and bring it back to my dressing room', and gave me a time.
"I was by far the youngest member of staff.
"When the time came I took the money and found the dressing room. He was doing a press conference so I sat down and quietly waited."
After the photographers left, Conn is said to sexually assaulted the youngster in his dressing room for two or three minutes.
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She said: "It felt like an eternity. He just sort of dismissed me and said he will contact me again about the job.
"I stumbled out and felt in a daze and in turmoil. I remember seeing the stage, it was brightly lit.
"I just remember being in a complete daze
"Then I saw him standing in the VIP box with his wife in black tie."
The alleged victim said she was telegrammed and asked to go to Conn's head office in Charing Cross, central London, on multiple occasions.
On the second visit to his office, the teen had taken a train to London after school, still dressed in her school uniform.
She said: "There was a wad of money, he took some from that and the rest he put in a wall safe like he was showing it off.
"And he was talking about all these people he's promoted like he's the big 'I am.'"
She said Conn made her wait in his office as the rest of the staff left the building.
She added: "He poured himself a big drink and talked about many people like Crystal Gayle."
Conn then ushered the girl to "see what his desk chair felt like" and forced himself upon her yet again, the court heard.
She broke down in tears as she recalls him unbuttoning her school blouse and sexually assaulting her.
She said: "He put his hands up my skirt.
"He was forceful and aggressive. I felt slightly bruised and shocked. It seemed to happen quite quickly."
She said she told him she felt sick, adding: "It would have been really obvious I didn't want it.
"I was not responding to anything he was doing. It was obvious I wasn't reciprocating or enjoying it.
"I don't know what I said, I think 'I don't like this, please stop.'
"I was completely mystified as to why I was called there at all.
"He told me stuff about people how he owned the rights to The Beatles songs.
"He said a person wasn't alive because of a scratch on his Rolls Royce."
On her third visit to his office she said Conn insisted on taking her home so he could show off his Rolls Royce.
The woman said: "I sat in the back thinking how ostentatious and showy it was.
"I hated it. It was like he was showing off his castle. I remember thinking it looked expensive but not classy - tacky."
Instead of driving her home he took her to his gated house in Wimbledon, South West London, where he ordered her to lie in a "star shape" and raped her in his marital bed, it is alleged.
The woman said: "I didn't do anything to encourage him, I just completely numbed out.
"I felt like I was out of my body, like feeling struck dumb and I couldn't speak. I couldn't accept what was happening to me."
Conn's wife sat in the public gallery as the jury saw the woman screaming in tears and leaving the room.
When asked why she went back to see Conn, she said: "I absolutely did not consent.
"I was scared of him and scared of what would happen if I didn't go.
"He was a dominating person, very egotistical. He had this bouffant hair, smelt like cigars, looked almost like he was in the Mafia.
"He just showed how powerful he was and how he could control and manipulate and do whatever he wanted.
"I had counselling when I was 26 and have had flashbacks and nightmares since - even my daughter has seen them."
Conn, of Wimbledon, denies three counts of indecent assault, two counts of rape and one of attempted buggery on a girl under the age of 16.
The trial continues.
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