A British man has countered claims that Donald Trump groped a woman on a flight in the early 1980s, citing his “good photographic memory”.
Anthony Gilberthorpe, 54, contacted the Republican presidential candidate’s campaign team to say that he was on the flight which Jessica Leeds alleges she was sexually assaulted by Trump.
Gilberthorpe, a retiree living in northwest England, previously claimed in The Sunday Mirror that he procured teenage boys for British politicians to have sex with when he was 17.
His latest claims were published in the New York Post, which has endorsed Trump’s presidential campaign.
Leeds alleges that she was groped by Trump, who she described as being “like an octopus”, on a flight in 1980 or 1981.
Gilberthorpe said that he was sitting on the same flight as the pair and claims Leeds was the one who was being “flirtatious”.
His comments come as Trump, 70, faces fresh allegations of sexual assault.
Gilberthorpe claims that he was “present at all times” and alleges Leeds was “trying too hard”.
Trump’s campaign team arranged an interview with The New York Post and Gilberthorpe after the Brit contacted them.
Gilberthorpe admitted he had no evidence to back up his comments, but relied on his self-described excellent memory of an event from more than three decades ago.
“What she said about Trump is wrong,” he told The Post.
“I mean, no decent human being could sit by and have a woman go on television and tell the United States of America — accuse an individual of sexually molesting.
“It’s wrong for Trump, it’s wrong for me. But you know something else? It’s wrong for the American people,” he said.
He spoke out about the alleged incident after Leeds said that other passengers witnessed what was happening on the aircraft but did not help her.
Gilberthorpe said he recognised Leeds because he has a “good photographic memory”.
Gilberthorpe challenged Leeds to a public confrontation.
Allegations against the billionaire property mogul started to surface earlier this month after The Washington Post published footage of Trump describing how he can “grab” women “by the pussy” because he is famous.
The recording from 2005 heard Trump say he could do “anything” because he was a “star”.
His comments provoked international outrage, with Republican politicians issuing statements against his remarks and distancing themselves from their own presidential candidate.