Former BBC DJ Tim Westwood denies rape and assault charges
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsFormer BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood has denied multiple charges of rape, indecent assault and sexual assault.The 68-year-old has been accused of committing offences against seven women as young as 17 years old between 1983 and 2016.Westwood, of Westminster, pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court on Monday morning.The court heard that the former DJ is alleged to have raped women, kissed them and touched their bodies without consent.The hearing was told that three of the alleged indecent assault offences allegedly took place at the BBC Studios in 1996.open image in galleryFormer Radio DJ Tim Westwood arrives at Southwark Crown Court on Monday (Getty Images)Westwood arrived at court wearing a black hooded coat over a maroon shirt and black trousers.Later in the courtroom, he spoke to confirm his name, and stood in the glass dock with his hands clasped in front of him when he was arraigned on all 15 counts.Westwood was granted bail, with the condition to not contact the complainants, ahead of a pre-trial review hearing, which will take place on a date to be decided in December next year.Judge Tony Baumgartner set a provisional trial date for 25 January 2027 before the former DJ left the dock.open image in galleryThe former DJ arrived at court wearing a black hooded coat over a maroon shirt and black trousers (Getty Images)The Metropolitan Police previously said Westwood is alleged to have indecently assaulted a 17-year-old girl in the Fulham area of London in 1983.He is also accused of indecently assaulting a woman in her 20s in the Vauxhall area of London in 1986, as well as of raping and indecently assaulting a woman, aged between 17 and 18, in London between 1995 and 1996.He is alleged to have raped and indecently assaulted a woman aged 17 to 18 between 2000 and 2001, and raped a woman in her 20s in 2010 – with the alleged offences also reported to have taken place in London.He is further accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s in Stroud, Gloucestershire, in 2010 and sexually assaulting another woman in her 20s in the Finchley area of London in 2016.Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said: “It takes courage to come forward and report allegations of this nature. The women who have done so have put their trust in us and we continue to provide them with all available support.”open image in galleryWestwood previously arriving for the NME Awards (PA Archive)The BBC Board previously apologised following a review, which said the corporation “did not take adequate action” after learning of concerns regarding the hip hop DJ’s alleged behaviour.In response to historical sexual abuse allegations, Westwood has previously said he “strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour”.He stepped down from his show on Capital Xtra in April 2022 and left Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra in 2013 after nearly 20 years at the BBC. He also presented the MTV UK car makeover show Pimp My Ride UK, which ran for three seasons from 2005 to 2007.Westwood is the son of the former Anglican bishop of Peterborough, Bill Westwood, who died in the 1990s.
