The UK hip-hop pioneer claims innocence as decades old allegations force him to fight for his name.
At age 68, Tim Westwood, once a titan of the UK rap radio world, stood in a London courtroom and denied every single one of 15 charges laid against him.
The charges are serious. Four counts of rape. Nine counts of indecent assault. Two counts of sexual assault. The alleged victims: seven different women. The alleged timeline: 1983 to 2016. Locations named include BBC studios in the 1990s, a London hotel in 1996, a nightclub in Gloucestershire in 2010, and a music festival in London circa 2016.
When Westwood entered the dock at Southwark Crown Court on December 8, 2025 he wore a maroon shirt and black trousers. He spoke only to confirm his name, and entered a plea of “not guilty” to all charges.
The judge granted him conditional bail. He was ordered not to contact any of the complainants. The trial is provisionally slated for January 25, 2027.
For decades, Westwood was more than a DJ. He was a cornerstone of UK hip-hop culture. He made his name hosting the first nationally broadcast rap show on BBC Radio 1 from 1994. He stayed with BBC for nearly 20 years before a stint at Capital Xtra. His influence shaped how many in Britain discovered rap, grime, and urban music.
But now his legacy stands on trial alongside him. The accusations stretch across decades, from the early 1980s through the mid-2010s. If prosecutors succeed, the man once dubbed “Big Dawg” could be remembered under a darker spotlight.
