Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood Charged With Rape and Sexual Assault Across 33 Years

When Tim Westwood walked into Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 10, 2025, dressed in a dark grey shirt and speaking only to confirm his identity, the room fell silent. The man once known as "The Big Dawg" — a towering figure in British radio who shaped the sound of urban music for decades — now faced the most serious allegations of his life: four counts of rape, nine of indecent assault, and two of sexual assault, spanning 1983 to 2016. The charges, brought by the Metropolitan Police Service, involve seven women, some as young as 17, with incidents tied to locations from Fulham to Stroud, and even inside the hallowed halls of the BBC studios.

How It All Unfolded

The investigation began quietly, years before the court appearance. Multiple women, some hesitant, others determined, came forward with accounts that didn’t fit the public image of the charismatic DJ who interviewed everyone from Jay-Z to Stormzy. Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service spent over two years cross-referencing timelines, locations, and witness statements. The result? A pattern. Allegations clustered around venues Westwood frequented during his career: nightclubs after shows, hotel rooms near BBC headquarters, and even backstage at Capital Xtra events.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring granted conditional bail, forbidding Westwood from contacting any of the seven women involved — a rare but necessary step given the power imbalance between a media icon and his accusers. Westwood, 68, had returned from Nigeria just days before the hearing. He didn’t enter a plea. He didn’t need to. The court’s focus was on safeguarding the integrity of the process.

The Allegations: A Timeline of Abuse

The charges aren’t random. They’re chillingly specific — and staggeringly long in duration.

• In 1983, a 17-year-old girl was indecently assaulted in Fulham, west London — the first known incident.
• In 1986, another woman in her 20s was targeted in Vauxhall.
• Between 1995 and 1996, a woman aged 17–18 was raped and assaulted in London — the same period Westwood was rising at BBC Radio 1.
• Three indecent assaults occurred inside BBC studios during the 1990s, where Westwood held sway as a tastemaker.
• In 1996, a rape allegedly took place at a London hotel.
• In the early 2000s, two women were indecently assaulted and one raped at a London address.
• In 2010, a sexual assault occurred at a nightclub in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
• Later that same year, a woman in her 20s was raped in London.
• And in the 2010s, two more rapes occurred at another London residence.

That’s 15 charges. Seven victims. Over three decades. And not one of them was ever made public — until now.

"It Takes Courage"

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who led the investigation, made a rare public statement: "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." That line didn’t feel like a press release. It felt like a reckoning.

Westwood’s career was built on access — to stars, to studios, to secrets. He hosted shows that launched careers. He was the voice of grime before it was mainstream. But behind the mic, according to these accounts, was a different man. A man who used his influence to isolate, intimidate, and assault.

He denied all allegations during five voluntary police interviews. He never admitted to wrongdoing. But he also never challenged the timeline. He never disputed the locations. He just stayed silent.

The Fallout: A Radio Giant’s Fall

Westwood joined the BBC in 1994 and stayed for nearly 20 years. His show on BBC Radio 1 was a cultural institution. He helped bring UK garage, hip-hop, and grime to national audiences. After leaving the BBC in 2013, he moved to Capital Xtra, where he kept his "Big Dawg" persona until 2022.

His departure from Capital Xtra was framed as a "mutual decision." No one knew why. Now, we do.

The BBC issued a brief statement after the charges were announced: "We take all allegations of this nature extremely seriously. We are aware of the charges and are reviewing our internal records and procedures." But the silence from former colleagues has been louder. No tributes. No defense. Just echoes.

What This Means for the Industry

This isn’t just about one man. It’s about a system that let power go unchecked for decades.

In the 1990s and 2000s, radio was a boys’ club. Women were often treated as gateways — to artists, to parties, to opportunities. Many didn’t report abuse because they feared losing their chance. Others didn’t believe they’d be believed.

The #MeToo movement changed that. But it didn’t reach every corner. Westwood’s case shows how deeply entrenched these behaviors were — and how late the reckoning can come.

The fact that charges were brought for incidents as far back as 1983 is significant. It signals a shift in how the justice system handles historic sexual crimes — especially when the accused is a public figure.

What’s Next?

Westwood’s next hearing is on December 8, 2025, at Southwark Crown Court. That’s when he’ll enter a plea. That’s when the trial process begins. That’s when the victims’ testimonies will be heard — in public, under oath.

His legal team hasn’t commented. His family hasn’t spoken. But the women involved? They’ve already done the hardest thing: they’ve spoken up.

And that, more than any courtroom drama, is what will define this case.