Sydney Morning Herald reported Abbott: I was charged with indecent assault

Abbott: I was charged with indecent assault

By Michelle Grattan
July 18, 2004
The Sun-Herald   http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/17/1089694611809.html

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'It was embarrassing': But Tony Abbott says the incident was 'completely fictional'.Photo: Andrew Taylor

A 27-year-old court case in which Health Minister Tony Abbott was charged with indecent assault is about to be revived.
The case involved an allegation that Mr Abbott, then a 20-year-old student leader in the heady days of campus politics, groped a woman activist on stage before an audience of 200.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun-Herald, Mr Abbott said the groping allegation was "a long time ago - and it was a completely fictional incident".
He added: "It's part of the Abbott story - it is not part of the Abbott present."
The incident will appear in a book on Mr Abbott and Labor leader Mark Latham to be published next month.

Mr Abbott said the case in January 1978 was dismissed. The magistrate complained of "enormous conflict" between the prosecution and defence evidence.