England legend Paul Gascoigne ‘kissed a fat lass’ on the lips to boost her confidence, court hears

Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne, who has been accused of drunkenly forcing himself on a woman and kissing her on train, has denied the allegations. The 52-year-old told the court he gave the woman "a peck on lips" to boost her confidence after someone called her "fat and ugly". Gascoigne added, before kissing her he, said, "Listen...you're not fat....you're beautiful."

England legend Paul Gascoigne “forcefully and sloppily” kissed a woman on the lips on a train, a court has heard.

Gazza, 52, was charged with sexual assault by touching after being arrested while travelling from York to Newcastle on August 20.

The alleged incident was said to have happened at Darlington and to have involved him kissing a woman over the age of 16.

Former footballer Gascoigne pleaded not guilty to the charge earlier this year and arrived at Teesside Crown Court on Monday morning for the beginning of the trial.

Jurors heard Gascoigne, who is accused of an “unpleasant” sex assault, told passengers he had “kissed a fat lass” to give her a “confidence boost”.

William Mousley QC said: “This case concerns a brief but unpleasant assault with sexual overtones on a train.”

The prosecutor said Gascoigne had tried to sit on the woman on board the train and put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her when she tried to move away.

Admitting the “blatant act” was humiliating for the woman, the prosecutor suggested the incident was Gascoigne “perhaps showing off”.

Judge Peter Armstrong told the panel: “It is important you do not have any knowledge of the witnesses in the case, or connection with them, however in this case the defendant is Mr Paul John Gascoigne, who may be well-known to you, and therefore it would be unrealistic to expect you not to have heard of him.”

A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in, and the judge told them: “With the celebrity of the defendant, it may be you have a pre-formed view of him.

“You put that to one side.”

The trial is listed to last for five days.