By BBC (Entertainment) | Created at 2024-11-07 17:34:26 | Updated at 2024-11-15 09:23:05
1 week ago
Detectives investigating allegations of non-recent sexual abuse against the former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood have submitted a file of evidence to prosecutors to consider bringing charges.
The criminal inquiries came after a joint investigation by BBC News and the Guardian in 2022 heard from women who made allegations of predatory and unwanted sexual behaviour and touching.
The allegations revealed by BBC News spanned the period from 1992 to 2017, when the 66-year-old was at the height of his career as a leading hip hop DJ. The women also accused Mr Westwood of abusing his position in the music industry.
Mr Westwood strenuously denied the allegations when the news outlets' investigation was published in April 2022.
Det Supt Andy Furphy, whose team is leading the investigation, said officers are continuing their enquiries and continue to provide specialist support to those who have come forward.
“A file of evidence has now been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and our team continues to make enquiries, with support from prosecutors. We will thoroughly and properly investigate sexual offences as part of our commitment to making London safer for women and girls.”
The CPS decides which cases should be prosecuted out of those the police have investigated.
A CPS spokesperson said: “We can confirm we received a file from the Metropolitan Police Service regarding allegations of non-recent sexual offences allegedly committed by a man in his 60s.”
In a statement, the Met Police said “a man in his 60’s has been interviewed under caution on four separate occasions. The offences are alleged to have occurred in London between 1982 and 2016”.
Officers also confirmed this investigation was not being assisted by the Hydrant Programme “at this stage of the ongoing investigation”. The Hydrant Programme is a national policing programme which was originally established in 2014 "to deliver the national policing response, oversight, and coordination of non-recent child sexual abuse investigations concerning persons of public prominence".
Officers emphasised the investigation is "complex and sensitive" and their "absolute priority is to maintain the integrity of our investigation and support and retain the confidence of potential victims. We must also be sure there is no risk of jigsaw identification".
The women who spoke to the BBC were all black, and said they had met Westwood through his work.
In August 2022, a review, led by Gemma White KC, was commissioned by the BBC to examine the near 20-year employment of Mr Westwood with the broadcaster after the BBC revealed it had had six non-recent complaints of bullying or sexual misconduct against the DJ.
It was initially believed the review would take around six months but a report is yet to be published.
Last month, the Met Police warned the BBC that parts of the review could “interfere with justice” if published. The BBC declined to comment.
A freedom of information request by BBC News earlier this year revealed that the BBC has spent more than £3 million on the review so far.
The external review was examining what the BBC did and didn’t know about the former Radio 1 DJ’s behaviour. He has denied claims of misconduct saying “it’s all false allegations”.
Mr Westwood hosted the influential rap show on Radio 1 and a drivetime show on sister station 1Xtra before moving to Capital Xtra in 2013 when it changed its name from Choice FM. He also fronted the UK version of hit MTV show Pimp my Ride in 2005.
In April 2022, Mr Westwood stepped down from his Capital Xtra show.
