On Monday (Dec. 8), former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood pleaded not guilty at a court hearing in the United Kingdom to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault. The media personality had appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last month to confirm his name, date of birth, and address after being formally charged in October.
The 68-year-old arrived at Southwark Criminal Court in a plain burgundy shirt and black jeans, and didn’t speak except to confirm his name and enter his plea. He is facing four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault.
The incidents are believed to have taken place between 1983 and 2016, with a few of the seven victims believed to have been 17 at the time. Three of those incidents are alleged to have taken place in BBC Studios in 1996, with one of the victims who was between 17-18 reportedly assaulted twice in central London in 1995 and 1996, according to authorities. Westwood hosted shows on Radio 1 from 1994 to 2013, before leaving to host a show on Capital Xtra until April 2022.
“It takes courage to come forward and report allegations of this nature,” said Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy. “The women who have done so have put their trust in us and we continue to provide them with all available support. Our investigation remains open and we’d encourage anyone who has been impacted by this case or anyone with information to come forward and speak with us.”
Westwood, an early champion of Hip-Hop in the United Kingdom, has vehemently denied assaulting anyone, previously stating that “It’s all false allegations.” He’s currently free on conditional bail, which was given at his November hearing. Currently, his jury trial has been set for January 2027.
