iStockA judge has asked lawyers to decide what evidence they can agree ahead of the trial of comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli who is accused of rape and other sex offences.
He faces 20 charges involving five women between 2006 and 2022 at locations including the BBC Studios at Pacific Quay in Glasgow and the Radisson Hotel in the city.
The charges include five of rape involving the same woman in 2020 and 2021 in the Glasgow area.
The 57-year-old also faces several charges of sexual assault, indecent assault and other charges, including breach of the peace, indecent communication and assault.
The comedian, who was a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother, has pleaded not guilty and special defences of consent have been lodged for some of the charges.
A trial has been fixed for October 1 next year at the High Court in Glasgow.
A continued preliminary hearing took place virtually from the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday to discuss procedural matters relating to the case.
Lady Drummond noted that a “very brief” draft joint minute – which sets out agreed evidence – has been prepared and asked defence lawyer Sarah Livingstone and prosecutor Kath Harper to consider how they could expand it.
She set a continued preliminary hearing for July 1 next year.
Lady Drummond said: “The purpose of that hearing is for parties to apply their minds to the joint minute and to make sure that they have complied with their duty to agree evidence.”
The charges Kohli faces include an allegation that he indecently assaulted a woman at BBC Studios at Pacific Quay on an occasion between 2006 and 2008 when he allegedly seized and squeezed her buttock and placed his arms around her body.
It is also alleged he indecently assaulted the same woman at the Radisson Hotel and repeatedly rubbed her back and touched her hair on an occasion during that time period.
Another charge alleges he sexually assaulted another woman at Yes Bar in Glasgow in December 2016 when he allegedly seized her, placed his arms around her body and kissed her on the mouth.
He is also accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly pursuing the same woman and making sexual remarks towards her at the Yes Bar on the same day.
Offences are alleged to have taken place at locations including Edinburgh, Glasgow, a hotel in Dumfries and Galloway, and elsewhere.
Kohli has previously appeared on TV shows including The One Show, Celebrity MasterChef and Newsnight Review, and has hosted programmes on BBC Radio 4.
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