Langham's pleas "to stop paedophile label"

Chris Langham is denying child pornography charges to avoid being labelled a paedophile, he told a court.

The Thick of It star has pleaded not guilty to six counts of assaulting a teenage girl , two of serious sex assault and 15 child pornography offences. He is currently standing trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

Langham, from Kent, has said he did look at indecent images of young girls. However, he told the jury on Friday he did it as research for a character and other psychological reasons - not because he has a sexual interest in children.

Richard Barraclough QC, prosecuting, asked him: "You pleaded not guilty because you were labelled a paedophile?"

He replied: "Yes, that's correct," and admitted he was technically guilty of the image counts.

"So your plea of not guilty is simply some sort of statement that you are not a paedophile?" asked Barraclough. "Yes, that's absolutely correct."

Langham continued: "I was trying to break down something inside me that I could use for my own development."

Barraclough accused the actor of being a "perverted individual" and sick. He replied: "I would describe myself as a human being, a work in progress."

During the trial, which continues, a woman has accused Langham of systematically abusing her and admitting to her that he looks at child pornography.

His defence has accused her of being a "fantasist". On Tuesday the court heard evidence from fellow comic Paul Whitehouse.