Ex-Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood charged with rape and sexual assault

Former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood has been charged with rape and sexual assault.

The Metropolitan Police said the 68-year-old is accused of offences against seven different women as young as 17 years old.

He is charged with four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault, the force said.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place between 1983 and 2016.

Westwood, of Westminster, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 10.

Police have said the former Radio 1 DJ 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 raping and indecently assaulting a woman, aged between 17 and 18, in London between 1995 and 1996.

Westwood 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.

“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.”

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.

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.