Tim Westwood has been formally charged with four counts of rape and multiple sexual offenses in the United Kingdom, marking a major legal escalation tied to allegations spanning more than three decades and involving seven women.
The Crown Prosecution Service revealed Thursday that the 68-year-old former BBC Radio 1 DJ is facing nine counts of indecent assault, two counts of sexual assault and four counts of rape. The alleged incidents occurred between 1983 and 2016. Westwood is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 10, 2025.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Tim Westwood for a series of serious sexual offences,” said Lionel Idan, Chief Crown Prosecutor. “Our prosecutors have established that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.”
The charges follow a 2022 joint investigation by BBC News and The Guardian that brought forward accusations from seven Black women, all of whom were in their late teens or early twenties at the time of the alleged incidents. Some claimed Westwood used his influence in the music industry to exploit them during meetings that were positioned as professional opportunities.
“Someone taking advantage of my naivety and lack of confidence isn’t something that I should have to carry with shame,” one woman told investigators.
Three women said they were misled into private encounters under the pretense of career mentorship. Four others alleged that Westwood groped them while posing for photos after club events.
One accuser, referred to as “Isabel,” said she was 19 when she met Westwood in 2010 to discuss her music aspirations. She alleged he took her to his apartment, where the assault occurred. Another woman, “Tamara,” said she was 17 when Westwood allegedly assaulted her. “He could make or break your career,” she said. “Within the recording industry and the black community, despite him being a white man, he had absolute power.”
The BBC responded to the 2022 exposé by launching an internal review and later admitted it “fell short and failed people” in how it handled prior complaints about Westwood.
Throughout the allegations, Westwood has denied all wrongdoing. His legal team called the claims “completely false” and “seriously defamatory.”
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy acknowledged the bravery of the women who came forward. “It takes courage to come forward and report allegations of this nature,” he said.
Westwood’s influence on British Hip-Hop is undeniable. He began his career on pirate radio before landing at BBC Radio 1 in 1994, where he hosted the network’s first Rap Show. Known as the “Big Dawg,” he helped introduce UK audiences to artists like Jay-Z and Public Enemy and was a fixture in the club scene for decades. He left the BBC in 2013 and later joined Capital Xtra.
His legacy, once cemented as a pioneer of Hip-Hop broadcasting in Britain, now faces serious legal scrutiny.
Related