Sir Elton John denies sexual harassment claims by LA cop

Sir Elton John has denied claims he repeatedly groped a decorated police officer who served in his security detail.

Jeffrey Wenninger, a captain in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), has accused the singer of groping him and making sexually suggestive comments towards him.

In legal papers filed in the US on Monday, the policeman said he received unwelcome attention from the married star in 2014.

Sir Elton issued a strongly-worded denial, saying the allegations were driven by money.

Orin Snyder, a US lawyer representing the star's company, Rocket Entertainment Group, said: "This baseless lawsuit is brought by a disgruntled former security officer seeking to extract an undeserved payment.

"These claims are patently untrue and contradicted by numerous previous statements made by this plaintiff. We will not give in to his latest abuse of the legal system."

In the papers Mr Wenninger said he had received unwelcome attention on several occasions over the span of several years since he began working on the star's security team in 2002.

The incidents escalated "in frequency and intensity" after 2010, the lawsuit states, adding: "At no time did plaintiff consent to defendant Elton John touching him in this offensive manner, or in any other manner."

The policeman worked for Sir Elton while off-duty through a private company that he has also launched legal action against, alleging he was improperly removed from working with the star in September 2014.

According to Mr Wenninger, who is a recipient of the LAPD's Medal of Valour, he was effectively fired from Sir Elton's security detail because he had reported a fellow officer for overtime theft.

Marla Brown, a lawyer acting for the officer, refused to address why her client would be seeking work after the alleged incidents occurred.