Greek-born Taki Theodoracopulos, 86, has denied a historic charge of attempted rape alleged to have taken place in 2009. A British woman has accused the legendary Spectator High Life columnist of attempted rape on a ski weekend at his chalet in Gstaad in the Swiss Alps, reporting the allegation to the Metropolitan Police in January 2019.

Responding to the allegations, Taki told The Guardian: “Not only do I deny everything, I hardly know the lady… I’m 86 years old and I’ve never been accused of anything like that.” He would have been 72 in 2009, which would make it some feat.

Taki, who lives in New York, attended a hearing in Switzerland about the allegations in July 2022 with his wife and lawyer. Taki was formally charged in February this year and will stand trial in Switzerland. 

Taki added: “It’s unfortunate because I happen to like and admire women, the female sex, very much and it’s certainly not the kind of thing I would ever do, or anybody in my family would ever do.” Taki did a three-month sentence in Pentonville for possessing cocaine in 1984…