Former BBC DJ Tim Westwood has denied all allegations of rape and sexual assault as he stood trial at Southwark Crown Court. The 68-year-old is facing 15 charges related to seven women over a 33-year period, with the most serious offence being four counts of rape.
Westwood appeared in court wearing a burgundy shirt and black jeans, where he entered not guilty pleas to all 15 counts. He confirmed his name, but did not speak during the proceedings. The former Radio 1 host was granted bail until January 2027, when his trial is due to begin.
According to the allegations, Westwood committed indecent assaults on three women in London in the 1980s and at the BBC Studios in 1996. He is also accused of raping a woman at a hotel that year. The alleged offences took place between 1983 and 2016, with incidents including two counts of rape at a London address, a sexual assault at a nightclub in Stroud, Gloucestershire, in 2010, and another incident involving the alleged touching of a woman's body without consent.
Westwood has maintained his innocence throughout, saying "strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour". The court heard that he allegedly raped women, kissed them, and touched their bodies without consent. In an earlier hearing at Westminster magistrates court, Westwood was granted conditional bail and told not to contact witnesses ahead of a pre-trial review hearing.
Westwood began his career on local radio before joining Capital Radio in London. He became one of the UK's most well-known names in hip-hop after hosting BBC Radio 1's first rap show in 1994. The former DJ left the BBC after 20 years in 2013, later hosting a regular show on Capital Xtra, which he left in April 2022.
Westwood appeared in court wearing a burgundy shirt and black jeans, where he entered not guilty pleas to all 15 counts. He confirmed his name, but did not speak during the proceedings. The former Radio 1 host was granted bail until January 2027, when his trial is due to begin.
According to the allegations, Westwood committed indecent assaults on three women in London in the 1980s and at the BBC Studios in 1996. He is also accused of raping a woman at a hotel that year. The alleged offences took place between 1983 and 2016, with incidents including two counts of rape at a London address, a sexual assault at a nightclub in Stroud, Gloucestershire, in 2010, and another incident involving the alleged touching of a woman's body without consent.
Westwood has maintained his innocence throughout, saying "strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour". The court heard that he allegedly raped women, kissed them, and touched their bodies without consent. In an earlier hearing at Westminster magistrates court, Westwood was granted conditional bail and told not to contact witnesses ahead of a pre-trial review hearing.
Westwood began his career on local radio before joining Capital Radio in London. He became one of the UK's most well-known names in hip-hop after hosting BBC Radio 1's first rap show in 1994. The former DJ left the BBC after 20 years in 2013, later hosting a regular show on Capital Xtra, which he left in April 2022.
This whole thing is just so sad for all the women who went through this 
. I'm not buying that he's innocent, you know? All those allegations stack up and it's hard to deny. He was a big deal in the music scene, but sometimes power and influence can be a real problem 
. Westwood's case is a reminder that we still have a long way to go in terms of creating safe spaces for everyone, especially women 
. Can't wait to see how this all plays out in court 
#JusticeForSurvivors #BelieveSurvivors #EndSexualAssault
Rape allegations are super serious & not to be taken lightly... can't believe some old dudes still think they can get away with it 
. Westwood's got a lot of explaining to do if he wants to keep his freedom 
. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how someone in his position could still deny all allegations 
this is soooo sad 
i don't know what to think anymore... he's still saying he didn't do it tho? i mean, 15 charges of rape?? that can't be true right? 
but at the same time, if he really did do it... how could we not have known? 
. He's got a huge following and was once a household name, but now he's facing these very serious allegations that could potentially ruin his life forever 
.