Travolta Sex Assault Claim 'Is Baseless Lie'

John Travolta's spokesman has dismissed a claim the Hollywood star sexually assaulted an unidentified masseur who is suing the actor for £1.2m.

According to court papers, the alleged incident took place in a hotel chalet rented by the Swordfish star in January.

The masseur, who is referred to as John Doe, claims Travolta rubbed his leg, touched him inappropriately and tried to initiate at least one sex act inside a private bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Travolta's spokesman dismissed the claim as a "baseless lie".

He added: "On the date when plaintiff claims John met him, John was not in California and it can be proved that he was on the East Coast.

"John intends to get this case thrown out and then he will sue the attorney and plaintiff for malicious prosecution."

The masseur's lawyer Okorie Okorocha said, under California law, a victim of a sexual assault can file as "John Doe" if he or she fears extreme embarrassment if their identity is known.

The lawsuit goes into detail to describe the incident, saying the massage had been arranged by an anonymous phone caller who met the masseur, picked him up and drove him to the hotel where he was to be paid £120 an hour.

"I wanted to make sure we had as much detail as possible. The more detail I have, the more accurate I think the claims are," said the lawyer.

The lawyer added: "We did discuss the matter with some of his people to see if there was any way it could be resolved... to make it easier on everyone."

But Travolta's spokesman hit back, calling the lawsuit a "complete fiction and fabrication".

He added: "None of the events claimed in the suit ever occurred."

Travolta, 58, rose to fame in the 1970s on the TV sitcom Welcome Back Kotter, then became a movie star with hits such as Saturday Night Fever, Grease and Pulp Fiction.

He has been married to his wife Kelly Preston since 1991.