DJ denies groping Taylor Swift's 'bare bottom' at fan meet and greet

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Taylor SwiftImage source, Getty Images

Former radio DJ David Mueller has denied claims by Taylor Swift that he assaulted her during a meet and greet with fans.

It is the first time Mr Mueller has spoken about what happened backstage at a Detroit concert in 2013.

Taylor is suing him for assault and battery over the incident, which she says left her "shocked and withdrawn".

He denies the claim that he grabbed her "bare bottom" under her skirt.

The ex-DJ was fired from his job at a Colorado country music station after the encounter and has now spoken about the legal case with Detroit radio show, Mojo In The Morning.

US website TMZ has shared a photo, external from the meet and greet, which David says does not show him groping Taylor.

"I'm trying to get my right hand behind Taylor because [his girlfriend] Shannon was on the other side of Taylor," David explains, discussing the photo.

"My other hand was just on my belt or on my pocket."

"So my right hand, I've got my hand closed and my palm down and I reach behind toward Taylor. Our hands touched and our arms crossed, that's all I remember.

"It went behind her and her hand went behind me."

Taylor regularly hosts meet and greet sessions with her fans, who share the photos online.

Megan put this photo of her and Taylor together on Instagram., external

Legal documents were uncovered, external in early November which reportedly show a transcript of a court interview between David's lawyers and Taylor, where she makes her accusations.

"He put his hand under my dress and grabbed my bare ass," Taylor says in them.

"I became shocked and withdrawn and was barely able to say 'Thanks for coming,' which is what I say to everybody. I was barely able to get the words out.

"It was like somebody switched the lights off in my personality."

She says there were four members of her team in the photo booth during the meet and greet session and she continued to meet every fan waiting before reporting the incident.

Taylor's security guard, Greg Dent, claims he witnessed the assault, shortly before the photo was taken.

"Well, before the photo was taken is when I saw him go to put his arm around her and him lift up her skirt," he said during his deposition.

"She reacted, pushed her skirt down, and jumped to the side and went closer to the girl that was with him."

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Taylor's 1989 world tour was the highest grossing of 2015

"My hand was never under her skirt, I never grabbed her," David tells Mojo In The Morning.

"My hand was not open. What I was told that night and what I was told the next day were different. What I am hearing now is that I stuck my hand under her skirt and grabbed her bare bottom."

David and his girlfriend were asked to leave the venue after Taylor made a complaint, prompting David to pre-emptively contact his lawyers.

"We got in my car and started driving home. I contacted a criminal attorney, I thought for sure I was going to get arrested, I thought for sure I was going to get charges."

After the alleged assault, David lost his job at 98.5 KYGO when the station was presented with evidence against him two days later.

An original statement from Taylor Swift's spokeswoman says his sacking was an "independent decision" made by his employers after they were presented with evidence against him the day after the incident.

David initially sued Taylor for slander, leading her to counter sue.

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