Ex-Dragon’s Den star Doug Richard to go on trial on child sex charges

A former Dragons’ Den star is due to go on trial accused of paying a 13-year-old girl for sex after meeting her on a “Sugar Daddy” website.
Doug Richard, 57, allegedly spanked the girl’s bottom and engaged in other sexual activity after she travelled to London to meet him.
The former adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron is charged with three counts of sexual activity with a child, one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and a charge of paying a child for sexual services.
All the charges relate to one girl who was aged 13 at the time of the alleged offences on January 2 last year.
The US-born businessman, of Islington, north London, has denied wrongdoing and is on unconditional bail.
The millionaire, who appeared in the first two series of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, reportedly travelled with the Prime Minister on an official government trip to Africa and advised on policy.
He founded a business loans initiative called School For Startups, alongside the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.