Daniels 'startled' by Trump encounter

Donald Trump's criminal trial entered a new stage yesterday with testimony from Stormy Daniels, the adult film star at the centre of his hush-money scandal, who told jurors that they had a sexual liaison in 2006 that left her nervous and ashamed.

- Victoria Bekiempis

"My hands were shaking so hard that I was having a hard time getting dressed," said Daniels, who told jurors that she had gone to Trump's Lake Tahoe hotel room in the belief that they would be going for dinner after meeting there.

The two had met earlier that day at a celebrity golf match across town; Daniels was there for Wicked Pictures, her employer at the time, which was a sponsor. "The players would come around, you'd stay at your hole that had your company's logo, [you'd] give them water or towels," she said.

They did not discuss much, but her boss told Trump she was also a director. Trump, she recalled, said she must be pretty smart if she directed films and did not just perform in them.

They bumped into each other again at a room where event sponsors set up tables with free merchandise.

"He did remember us from the golf course - he remembered me specifically, that I was 'the smart one."" At one point, one of Trump's bodyguards told Daniels that he wanted her to join him for dinner. She said no.

Daniels said she did not consider the invitation again until later, when there was a scheduled company dinner she did not want to attend. Her colleague told her that she should take Trump up on his invitation.

"It'll make a great story, he's a business guy, what would possibly go wrong, that was his words to me," Daniels recalled.

She was directed to Trump's hotel across the city, and told to take a specific elevator to the penthouse. "He was wearing silk or satin pyjamas that I immediately made fun of him for, and said does Mr Hefner know you stole his pyjamas?" Daniels said, referring to the Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner. "I told him to go change and he obliged." Since it was still early, they decided to chat for a while before getting dinner. Daniels said Trump repeatedly grilled her on her time in the adult film industry, including: "What about testing? Do you worry about STD?s"