Former I’m A Celebrity star and peer Lord Brocket is to go on trial next year accused of sexual offences including rape after a judge refused to throw out the case.
The 74-year-old entered formal not guilty pleas when he appeared in the dock at Isleworth Crown Court in west London today.
He is accused of two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of causing a person to engage in a sexual act without their consent.
All charges relate to the same complainant, a woman who cannot be identified due to being an alleged victim of sexual offending.
The alleged offences all took place on the same date in August last year.
His lawyer Crispin Aylett KC made an application to dismiss all five counts, stating that a secret voice recording of all the alleged offences was used to ‘trap’ his client, and in fact demonstrated consent.
But Judge Martin Edmunds KC, the Recorder for Kensington and Chelsea, said these points were matters for the jury, and dismissed the application.
The defendant, who wore a dark blue suit, white shirt and blue tie, gave his name to the court as Charles Brocket.
He was told his trial will not take place until November 2027.
The aristocrat was released on conditional bail.
He was accompanied at court by his girlfriend, Julia Roberts.
Brocket previously finished fourth on the 2004 series of ITV reality show I’m a Celebrity, which was won by singer Kerry Katona, ahead of journalist Jennie Bond and pop star Peter Andre.
He was excluded from the House of Lords in 1999 along with hundreds of others as part of moves to reduce the number of hereditary peers voting in the chamber.
