Former BBC DJ Tim Westwood faces possible charges in abuse sexual case

Prosecutors are deciding if former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood should face charges over historic sexual abuse allegations. Police have handed over evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as part of their ongoing investigation. Westwood, who is now 67 years old, has denied all claims of wrongdoing.

The Metropolitan Police said they provided a “file of evidence” on the allegations against Westwood, a hip-hop DJ known for his time at BBC Radio 1. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, leading the case, said, “We’ve now submitted a file of evidence to the CPS and our team is still investigating with support from prosecutors.” He emphasized that their team is committed to investigating sexual offenses thoroughly to help make London safer for women and girls.

Westwood has been questioned multiple times under caution by the police as part of this investigation. The Metropolitan Police revealed that detectives are looking into several reports about sexual misconduct allegations. They noted that a man in his 60s has been interviewed four times under caution. The alleged incidents are said to have taken place in London from 1982 to 2016.

The CPS is responsible for deciding if cases investigated by the police should move forward to prosecution. A CPS spokesperson confirmed that they received the evidence file from the Metropolitan Police regarding the allegations.

This investigation comes as the BBC has postponed publishing findings from its own inquiry into Westwood’s actions while he was with the network. In August 2022, the BBC hired lawyer Gemma White KC to look into Westwood’s conduct. Her report was completed by July, but it hasn’t been released yet due to the ongoing police investigation.

Tim Westwood had a long career in radio. He started with BBC Radio 1 and later joined Capital Xtra. In 2013, he left BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra after almost 20 years on air. He then stepped down from his role at Capital Xtra in April 2022, shortly after allegations against him were publicly shared.

Westwood and his representatives continue to deny the accusations. A statement from April 2022 says, “Tim Westwood strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behavior. In his 40-year career, there have been no complaints against him, officially or unofficially. Tim Westwood rejects all claims of wrongdoing.”

His representatives have been contacted again for further comments.

The investigation into Westwood’s conduct remains ongoing, and the CPS will decide if there is enough evidence to bring charges against him.

As the investigation continues, all eyes are on the CPS to decide if there will be formal charges.