British DJ Tim Westwood Charged with Multiple Sexual Offences

Tim Westwood Charged with Sexual Offences Involving Black Women Over Three Decades in UK Hip-Hop Spotlight.

The former BBC and Capital Xtra DJ faces 15 charges spanning more than 30 years, involving seven women.

By FeroMedia News | October 2025

By FeroMedia News | October 2025

British hip-hop veteran Tim Westwood — once hailed as a key figure in bringing rap and R&B to mainstream UK radio — has been formally charged with multiple sexual offences involving Black women.

The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that Westwood, 67, faces 15 charges involving seven women, including four counts of rape, nine of indecent assault, and two of sexual assault, said to have taken place between 1983 and 2016.

A Pioneer in Hip-Hop, Shadowed by Allegations

Timothy “Tim” Westwood built his name as a radio trailblazer. From his days on BBC Radio 1 to his show on Capital Xtra, he helped bridge UK and U.S. hip-hop culture, giving rising artists a national platform and shaping the sound of British urban music.

But for many Black women in the scene, Westwood’s influence represented something darker — a figure who allegedly used his power, status, and access to exploit young women seeking opportunity in music.

In 2022, an investigative report by the BBC and The Guardian revealed multiple allegations from Black women, many of whom said they had remained silent for years out of fear that their voices would be ignored or dismissed in a male-dominated industry.

The Charges

Westwood is accused of serious sexual misconduct spanning three decades.
According to prosecutors, the alleged offences include incidents in London and Stroud, with some women said to have been 17 and 18 years old at the time.

The Crown Prosecution Service stated that there is enough evidence to proceed and that the case is “in the public interest.”
Westwood will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 11 November 2025.

He has denied all allegations, and remains legally presumed innocent pending trial.

BBC Accountability and Institutional Failure

In early 2025, an independent review commissioned by the BBC concluded that the broadcaster had “failed to act adequately” on complaints and “fell short in its duty of care.”

That review surfaced new accounts from Black women who described predatory advances, unwanted contact, and sexual coercion — patterns that many say were widely whispered about within the industry but rarely addressed publicly.

For many campaigners and cultural commentators, these revelations aren’t just about one man’s alleged crimes — they represent a broader story of how Black women’s voices have been ignored or sidelined in Britain’s music and media landscape.

A Reckoning for the Industry

The Westwood case has reignited difficult conversations about:

• Racism and sexism in UK music media

• The power imbalance between gatekeepers and young talent

• How institutions like the BBC handle complaints involving women of colour

As the case heads to court, there’s a growing call for accountability — not just for Westwood, but for the structures that allowed such behaviour to persist unchecked for decades.