Hamilton sex claims 'a tissue of lies'

The couple posed for photographers in Cheshire

Neil and Christine Hamilton have again strongly denied allegations of sexual assault made against them.

Speaking outside the couple's London flat on Sunday, Mr Hamilton said the allegations were a "complete tissue of lies and fabrications".

The former Conservative minister said the Sunday newspapers were full of "grotesque and disgusting" claims.

The mystery is that the police have taken [these claims] seriously enough to arrest two totally innocent people

Neil Hamilton

He said it was a mystery that the police had taken them seriously enough to make arrests.

He also said it was "a major injustice" that he and his wife had their names made public in connection with the allegations, whereas the person making the claims remained anonymous.

The allegations originally surfaced on Friday after the couple were released on police bail following five hours of questioning.

'Further repercussions'

The claims were made by a woman in her 20s, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

She said the couple performed indecent acts on her at a flat in Ilford, Essex, on 5 May, while a 60-year-old man raped her.

Publicist Max Clifford confirmed on Saturday that the woman told him of the allegations, before going to the police.

Neil Hamilton: "Taking stock" of the situation

On Sunday the Hamiltons - at the heart of the "cash for questions" scandal in 1994 - said they were watching events closely.

"We are learning more and more about how these allegations came to be made and how they ended up in the public domain," said Mr Hamilton, 52.

"There will be further repercussions in the course of this week."

Asked what the police would do next, he said: "All I know is that we are completely innocent. Who knows, they may drop the case or maybe they will press charges. Who knows?"

Asked if he had considered taking legal action, he said: "We haven't had a chance to consider any further action."

Earlier, the couple posed for the massed photographers in London

The couple later drove to their home in Cheshire, where they spent a few minutes chatting to waiting reporters.

Mr Hamilton described the past few days as "pretty grim".

He added: ""We will take stock. Further bulletins will be issued in due course."

The couple were accompanied by a camera crew and documentary maker Louis Theroux - who coincidentally had been with the Hamiltons when the story broke, to film a programme on them.

When Mr Theroux declined to comment on the developments of the last few days, Mrs Hamilton, 51, jokingly said: "You little bashful one."

She later scolded him for trampling on the roses.

Dinner alibi

The Hamiltons told police they were hosting a dinner party on the night in question.

Transcripts of their interviews with detectives were published in the Mail on Sunday after the couple apparently made their copies of the tapes available to the newspaper.

The Sunday tabloids have devoted many pages to the story

According to other newspapers, police will examine the couple's computers, which they have taken away, to establish whether the allegations are true.

The News of the World said the woman met Mrs Hamilton through an internet chatroom.

The woman claimed she was raped during an orgy and was told to "shut up and enjoy it".

Scotland Yard would not confirm the identity of the man - named in some of the newspapers - who the woman accuses of raping her.

They have confirmed a man aged 60 was arrested in June as part of the same inquiry and bailed until later this month.

The man told the Sunday Mirror that although he knew the woman who had made the allegations he had never had sex with her.

Police said the Hamiltons were due to return to an unnamed police station on an unnamed date, pending further inquiries.