Former BBC Radio 1 and Capital Xtra DJ Tim Westwood has denied two more sexual offences during a court hearing, bringing the total number of charges he faces to 17 concerning allegations by nine women between 1983 and 2016.
The 69-year-old pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting a teenage girl aged 16 or 17 in Hammersmith and Fulham, west London, in 1991 at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday. At the same hearing, Westwood also denied sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in Wandsworth, south London, in May 2004.
Westwood, of Fitzrovia, in London's West End, was charged in October last year with offences against seven women, which he also denies. He is accused of four indecent assaults in the 1980s in London, as well as three indecent assaults while at the BBC in the 1990s. The defendant is also alleged to have raped a woman in a hotel in 1996.
Westwood is further accused of two indecent assaults and one count of rape from the early 2000s at a London address, and two counts of rape at a London address in the 2010s. He is also alleged to have committed a sexual assault at a nightclub in Stroud, Gloucestershire, in 2010 and at a London music festival in 2016.
He has entered not guilty pleas to all counts and was granted conditional bail. Westwood is due to face a seven-week trial at Southwark Crown Court starting on 27 January.
Westwood left Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra in 2013 after nearly 20 years. He stepped down from his show on Capital Xtra in April 2022.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case involves a prominent former BBC and Capital Xtra DJ facing a large number of serious historical sexual offence charges, including multiple counts of rape and indecent assault.
- The trial, scheduled for January, will involve allegations spanning more than three decades, from 1983 to 2016, and testimony from nine women.
- The outcome could have implications for public trust in broadcasting institutions and for how historical sexual offence cases are handled in the UK legal system.
Background
Tim Westwood is a former radio DJ who spent nearly 20 years at the BBC, presenting on Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra until 2013, and later hosted a show on Capital Xtra until stepping down in April 2022. He was charged in October last year with offences against seven women, and the charges have since expanded. The case is being heard at Southwark Crown Court.
Key Perspectives
Tim Westwood: Has denied all charges through his not guilty pleas in court.
The Crown Prosecution Service: Allegations include four indecent assaults in the 1980s in London, three indecent assaults at the BBC in the 1990s, rape of a woman in a hotel in 1996, two indecent assaults and one rape from the early 2000s, two counts of rape in the 2010s, a sexual assault at a nightclub in 2010, and a sexual assault at a London music festival in 2016.
What to Watch
- The seven-week trial at Southwark Crown Court scheduled to start on 27 January.
- Whether any further charges are brought before the trial begins.
- The court's decision on bail conditions as the trial date approaches.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedWestwood denied two more sexual offences and now faces 17 charges.BBC London: “Former BBC Radio 1 and Capital Xtra DJ Tim Westwood has denied two more sexual offences during a court hearing. His latest pleas of not guilty mean he now denies a total of 17 charges”
- SupportedThe story describes Westwood as a former BBC Radio 1 DJ who pleaded not guilty to indecent assault and sexual assault allegations.BBC London: “Former BBC Radio 1 and Capital Xtra DJ Tim Westwood has denied two more sexual offences during a court hearing.”
- SupportedThe 17 charges concern allegations by nine women between 1983 and 2016.BBC London: “he now denies a total of 17 charges concerning allegations by nine women between 1983 and 2016.”
- SupportedWestwood is 69 and pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting a girl aged 16 or 17 in Hammersmith and Fulham in 1991.BBC London: “The 69-year-old pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting a teenage girl aged 16 or 17 in Hammersmith and Fulham, west London, in 1991 at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.”
- SupportedAt the same hearing, he denied sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in Wandsworth in May 2004.BBC London: “At the same hearing, Westwood also denied sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in Wandsworth, south London, in May 2004.”
- SupportedWestwood is of Fitzrovia and was charged in October last year with offences against seven women, which he denies.BBC London: “Westwood, of Fitzrovia, in London's West End, was charged in October last year with offences against seven women, which he also denies.”
- SupportedHe is accused of four indecent assaults in London in the 1980s and three indecent assaults at the BBC in the 1990s.BBC London: “He is accused of four indecent assaults in the 1980s in London, as well as three indecent assaults while at the BBC in the 1990s.”
- SupportedHe is alleged to have raped a woman in a hotel in 1996.BBC London: “The defendant is also alleged to have raped a woman in a hotel in 1996.”
- SupportedHe is accused of two indecent assaults and one rape in the early 2000s at a London address.BBC London: “Westwood is further accused of two indecent assaults and one count of rape from the early 2000s at a London address”
- SupportedHe is accused of two rapes at a London address in the 2010s.BBC London: “and two counts of rape at a London address in the 2010s.”
- SupportedHe is alleged to have committed sexual assaults at a nightclub in Stroud in 2010 and at a London music festival in 2016.BBC London: “He is also alleged to have committed a sexual assault at a nightclub in Stroud, Gloucestershire, in 2010 and at a London music festival in 2016.”
- SupportedWestwood pleaded not guilty to all counts, was granted conditional bail, and is due to face a seven-week trial starting on 27 January.BBC London: “Westwood has been granted conditional bail and is due to face a seven-week trial at Southwark Crown Court starting on 27 January.”