Justin Lee Collins blackmailed by girlfriend Anna Larke

Anna Larke, the girlfriend of Justin Lee Collins, blackmailed the British TV presenter in an attempt to get £20,000 ($31,000), a court heard.

Anna Larke, 38, allegedly told the former Friday Night Project host that she would “go to the police” and “hurt” him if she did not get the money.

Anna Larke described the claim, made by Justin Lee Collins’ defence counsel, as “absolute lies”.

Justin Lee Collins, also 38, of Kew, south-west London, denies harassment, causing fear of violence at St. Albans Crown Court.

Sonia Woodley QC, defending Justin Lee Collins, said: “You told him <<Give me £20,000 or I’m going to hurt you and I’m going to go to the police>>.”

Anna Larke, who had a nine-month relationship with Justin Lee Collins, denied the claim.

She said: “Oh my God, that’s absolute lies. I’ve never said that.”

Sonia Woodley said Justin Lee Collins sent Anna Larke a text message that said: “I’ve offered you all sorts of help, but I’m not getting involved in blackmail.”

Anna Larke, a public relations worker who was unemployed at the time of the alleged offences, said: “If I had just wanted money I would have gone straight to the press.”

Earlier, jurors were told Justin Lee Collins had smacked and sworn at Anna Larke.

Penelope Larke, her mother, said: “He called her all the names under the sun, terrible names.”

Anna Larke had also told her mother that Justin Lee Collins had hit her in the face on one occasion but had asked her to keep it secret.

“She said: <<Mum I have to tell you something, you have to promise me first that you won’t say anything to anybody>>, and then she said he smacked her and swears at her,” Penelope Larke told the court.

“She told me he smacked her in the private parts. I told her it wasn’t a very healthy relationship and that she should just pack her bags and come home.”

Her husband, Jeremy Larke, said his daughter had dismissed attempts to talk about the “reddish marks” he saw on her face and arms when she paid them a visit during her relationship with Justin Lee Collins.

He told the court that once Anna Larke moved back to the family home she said Justin Lee Collins had assaulted her during a trip to America.

Jeremy Larke told police his daughter had told them he had grabbed her hair and dragged her around the room.

In court, he said: “It was a great shock to me. I can’t believe he would beat her up.”

The alleged harassment happened between January and August last year.

The trial continues.