Michael Le Vell charged with child sex offences

CORONATION Street actor Michael Le Vell, who plays garage boss Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, has been charged with child sex offences, Greater Manchester Police said.

Le Vell, 47, whose real name is Michael Turner, is accused of 19 sex offences including raping a child, indecently assaulting a child and sexual activity with a child.

The father-of-two, a stalwart on the popular ITV series, will appear in court in two weeks’ time, Greater Manchester Police said last night (thurs).

He has appeared on the popular soap for 28 years and is one of the show’s longest serving cast members.

He was first arrested in September 2011 and questioned over alleged child sex offences, but the matter was later dropped.

But late last night GMP said the actor, from Hale, Cheshire, had been charged with sex offences against a youngster after a review of evidence by lawyers from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

A spokeswoman from GMP said: “A man has been charged with 19 child sex offences. Michael Turner, of Byrom Street, Hale, has been charged with 19 offences including raping a child, indecently assaulting a child and sexual activity with a child.

“He is due to appear at Manchester Magistrates on Wednesday February 27.

“The charges, which were authorised by the CPS following a review of evidence, relate to offences against a child between 2001 and 2010.”