British DJ Tim Westwood has officially been charged with four counts of rape. Per BBC, he's also been charged with nine counts of indecent assault, as well as two counts of sexual assault. Westwood's charges involve seven different individuals. He's scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on November 10.
"Our prosecutors have established that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial," Chief Crown Prosecutor Lionel Idan said. "And that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings. The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and the defendant has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings."
Additionally, the Metropolitan Police's Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy commented on this latest update. "It takes courage to come forward and report allegations of this nature. The women who have done so have put their trust in us," he explained. "And we continue to provide them with all available support."
"Our investigation remains open," he also added. "And we’d encourage anyone who has been impacted by this case, or anyone with information, to come forward and speak with us."
Tim Westwood Charges
Westwood is accused of the 1983 indecent assault of a 17-year-old girl in London. This is his oldest charge, while his second oldest charge is for an alleged rape that took place around 1995. He's also accused of attacking two other women in London in the 2000s, among others.
Last November, UK investigators submitted evidence to prosecutors who then decided to bring charges against Westwood.
“A file of evidence has now been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and our team continues to make enquiries, with support from prosecutors,” Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy explained at the time. “We will thoroughly and properly investigate sexual [offenses] as part of our commitment to making London safer for women and girls.”
Westwood has since denied the allegations.
