The 'Neighbors' actor plans to press on with defamation lawsuit after the multiple indecent assault charges which were filed against him were dismissed by court.
- December 16, 2020
AceShowbiz - Australian actor and singer Craig Mclachlan has been found not guilty of assault during a Melbourne, Australia stage show.
The star denied seven charges of indecent assault and six of common assault after four women accused him of inappropriate behaviour during a 2014 production of "The Rocky Horror Show", in which he portrayed cross-dressing surgeon Frank-N-Furter.
McLachlan began defamation proceedings against Fairfax Media, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and a former co-star soon after the allegations were made public.
McLachlan was accused of pressing his penis against one of the women and he was also accused of non-consensual kissing on the neck and mouth, and running his hand up the inner thigh of another accuser.
Back in November (20), the star told Melbourne Magistrates' Court he would often hug and kiss his fellow performers to "encourage and congratulate" them, adding, "In showbusiness, kissing between performers... it is de rigueur. It is commonplace, it is common practice."
He insisted that anything that came across as untoward "could only have been accidental" and he was "stunned and flabbergasted" when he found out about the allegations.
"I found it quite paradoxical," he said, alleging that one of the complainants would regularly sit on his lap in her underwear and confide in him and flick him on the bottom.
All charges against the former "Neighbours" and "Home and Away" star were dismissed on Tuesday (15Dec20).
McLachlan is now planning to press on with his defamation case.
