Bruno Langley: Former Coronation Street star pleads guilty to sexually assaulting two women

Actor in court over groping incident at Manchester music venue on 1 October

Coronation Street actor Bruno Langley arrives at Manchester Magistrates' Court charged with sexually assaulting two women at a Manchester music venue (Peter Powell/PA)

Ex-Coronation Street star Bruno Langley grabbed a woman by the crotch and touched a second victim on her “boobs and bum”, a court heard today as he admitted two counts of sexual assault.

Langley, 34, was drunk and in the Band in Wall music venue in Manchester the early hours of 1 October, when he touched the two women, Manchester Magistrates' Court was told.

The actor who left the ITV soap in the wake of the allegations after playing Todd Grimshaw for more than a decade, the soap's first openly gay character, stood in the dock and pleaded guilty.

The court heard he also sexually touched two other women on the same night, but was not charged with offences concerning those women, Karen Saffman, prosecuting, told the court.

Langley, whose family members wiped back tears after his guilty pleas were entered, was told he could face a possible jail sentence.

But district judge Mark Hadfield asked for a probation report to be prepared on Tuesday before he decides whether he will sentence Langley or whether the case needs to be sent to Manchester Crown Court where the defendant could face a longer sentence.

Ms Saffman, outlining the prosecution case, said Langley was “clearly intoxicated” when the first woman, who was out with her husband, went upstairs to collect their coats from the cloakroom.

The prosecutor said: “As she walked back towards the stairs Mr Langley grabbed her in the crotch area over her dress.”

Ms Saffman, quoting the victim's statement, said: “He grabbed me. Properly grabbed me. It was a rough grab, really right in. Lots of pressure.”

The prosecutor continued: “Even though it was through her dress and tights she could feel two or three fingers.

“She was clearly in shock. She was thinking about hitting him. She said, 'Did you do that on purpose?' But he did not reply.”

A male with Langley then apologised, the court heard, saying: “Oh my God, I'm really sorry.”

When the victim then went to go to the toilets she was then approached by another woman who had also been sexually assaulted by Langley.

Ms Saffman said the second woman told the first victim Langley had groped her “boobs and her bum”.

The second woman also told police: “He grabbed me in the crotch. Quite a lot of pressure. This lasted for a couple of seconds.”

Langley was also seen to go up to another woman, again a complete stranger and “grabbed her boobs and bum” and “grabbed the vagina” of a fourth woman.

Ms Saffman said he had not been charged with offences against two of the woman but the two incidents were “indicative of his behaviour” on the night.

PA