"I Was Absolutely Stunned, Shocked," Concert Pianist Accused Of Groping Teen Tells Jury

An internationally renowned concert pianist, accused of plying the 15 year-old daughter of a fan with alcohol and fondling her on his couch while "smooching" with the teen's mother, has told a jury he is innocent.

Oxford-educated pianist Robin Zebaida, 49, a graduate of the Royal College of Music, revealed from the witness box how he felt when the allegation was made.

"I was absolutely stunned, shocked and could not comprehend how this could have been made. It made no sense," he told Isleworth Crown Court.

Zebaida, of Grove End Gardens, Grove End Road, St. John's Wood pleads not guilty to sexually assaulting the girl at his apartment on November 24, last year.

He was sitting between the widow mother and daughter on the two-seater couch with an arm around each looking at photographs and the teenager was drinking vodka and her mum wine.

"While embracing them in that way Mr. Zebaida, as he brought his hand down on the girl's hip, put his hand under the top she was wearing on her bare flesh" prosecutor Mr. Mark Gadsden told the jury.

"He stroked her there and moved his hand up to her breast, where her bra was, but did not touch her breast.

"He started kissing the mother, 'smooching' as the daughter described it, french-kissing.

"The daughter then lay on the floor, complaining of the effects of the alcohol the defendant plied them both with, she had been drinking miniatures, and consumed more then the adults.

"He coaxed her back on to the couch and caressed her thigh and bottom in a slow and deliberate way," explained Mr. Gadsden. "He also kissed her on the neck and she felt unable to stop it happening."

Zebaida denied a sexual motive, telling the jury: "I just had my arm around the daughter and on a couple of occasions held her a little closer."

He admitted kissing the girl's mother, who responded as all three sat together, but denied touching her daughter's hip and thigh or sucking her finger and kissing her neck.

Zebaida said the mother had made the running since meeting him as he performed on a Mediterranean cruise, twice sending him boxes of chocolates and phoning and emailing him.

"Quite plainly she was interested in a relationship and I was trying to wind things down a bit," he told the court. "There was an emotional pressure that was a bit more than I wanted."

During their third date at the Imperial War Museum the mother asked Zebaida: "Is this going anywhere? Is this leading to a relationship or do you want a platonic friendship, I'm easy either way."

The defendant, who has a diploma in physiology and massage, said he did touch the woman's daughter lightly because of her posture and back problems following the fatal car crash that claimed the lives of her father and brother.

"At the museum she said she had a bit of a sore back and I just touched her and when she played the piano I suggested that she sat a little more straight and just touched her on the shoulder."

The three had sat in a similar fashion at Zebaida's flat during the second date and the defendant explained: "There was a very strong sense of kinship, a very strong sense of friendship. A lovely sense of human bonding."

He said he failed to quell the mother's romantic interest by explaining he works abroad for long periods.

"She said that she was used to long absences and sort of daydreamed a bit about joining me on one of my trips to the Far East or a cruise, but I did not respond."

Zebaida claimed he was "surprised" the mother suggested they all drink alcohol at his flat.

"Her daughter then said she would like more vodka and spoke about alcoholic drinks and parties she had attended and was supported by her mother in this. I was a bit uneasy.

"However, I felt that if she thought it was okay and her mother thought it was okay then she could have another vodka."

He told the court his arrest and prosecution forced him to decline work worth £15,000-£20,000 and damaged his ten-year successful working relationship with his agent.

Zebaida, who also teaches music masterclasses around the world with the British Council is an examiner with the Associated board of the Royal Schools of Music and says he has helped raised "tens of thousands of pounds" for charity.

The trial continues………….