Phillip Schofield’s brother, who is on trial charged with sexual offences involving a child, wept as he told a court how he phoned the TV star to discuss the claims.
Timothy Schofield, 54, is on trial at Exeter Crown Court accused of 11 sexual offences involving a child which are said to have occurred between October 2016 and October 2019.
The two most serious charges are sexual activity with a child.
The civilian police worker from Bath is said to have told his TV star brother about some of the alleged offending in September 2021.
Asked by his barrister Peter Binder whether he had performed sexual acts on the teenager, Schofield replied: “Absolutely not.”
Schofield told the jury he had watched pornography with the boy, who he insisted was aged over 16 at the time.
The defendant told the jury he had been gay his “entire life” but had kept it “completely secret and hidden from everybody”.
He said it was “incredibly difficult” and told the court he had struggled with mental health problems for years.
The defendant wept when he was asked about phoning his brother, a presenter on This Morning, before driving to his home in London in September 2021.
Defendant was ‘on the verge’ of killing himself
Peter Binder, representing Schofield, asked him: “Phillip described you as being in an extreme state of agitation?”
Schofield replied: “Yes. I remember sitting in a field and making the phone call to him.”
Mr Binder asked: “You told him you were on the verge of killing yourself?”
Schofield wept as he said: “That’s correct. I was so alone.”
Phillip Schofield told brother to stop talking about ‘details’
Yesterday the court heard a written statement from Phillip Schofield which described the phone call and his brother coming to his home in London.
Phillip Schofield is a presenter on the ITV show This Morning
The presenter described how he was washing up when his brother stood behind him and said: “You are going to hate me for what I am about to say.”
The TV star continued: “I said there was nothing he could say that would make me hate him. Then he said that he and [the boy] had time together and that last year they had watched porn… and [masturbated].
“I turned and said, ‘What did you just say?’ He said it was last year and [they] were alone together.
“Tim said it was just this once. I told him it should never happen again. He then started to tell me about [the boy’s] body.
“I said, ‘F***, stop’. I shouted at Tim that he had to stop. I didn’t want to know any of the details but he made it sound like a one-off.
“I said, ‘I don’t want you to tell me any more’. I said, ‘You’ve got to stop, just never do it again. Regardless how that happened it must never happen again’.”
Timothy Schofield outside court
Defendant said the teenager was ‘old enough’
During cross-examination by Robin Shellard, the defendant told the court the teenager was “old enough” to choose to watch pornography with him.
Schofield told the jury: “It was a consensual thing after the age of 16. He never in any way said no at all.”
He admitted searching for terms on a legal pornography website including “young boy teen sex” and “gay teen torrents”, but insisted he believed this would return results showing men aged between 18 and their early 20s.
Asked if he was guilty of the charges, he replied: “I am not guilty of these charges and that’s why I have stuck to my guns the whole way through and pleaded not guilty the whole way through.
“There’s no way I am going to plead guilty to something I haven’t done.”
The defendant denies three counts of causing a child to watch sexual activity, three of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, three of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and two of sexual activity with a child.
Phillip Schofield did not appear on ITV’s This Morning yesterday. The studio said he is taking “pre-planned leave” this week.
The trial continues.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
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