Rex Orange County’s Alex O’Connor Cleared of Sexual Assault Charges
Rex Orange County‘s Alex O’Connor has been cleared of six counts of sexual assault in the U.K., stemming from allegations made earlier this year by a woman who said the musician assaulted her multiple times in a taxi. The case was scheduled to go to trial on Jan. 3.
O’Connor released a statement today (Dec. 22) confirming all charges against him had been dropped. “The Crown Prosecution Service reviewed the evidence and decided that there is no merit in this case going to trial [and] not guilty verdicts were entered to all the charges,” he said. “I have always denied these allegations and am grateful that the independent evidence has cleared me of any wrongdoing. I have never assaulted anyone and I do not condone violence or abusive behavior of any kind.
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“I would like to clarify some details around what I was accused of, as I have not been able to address this until now and inaccuracies about the case have circulated,” he continued. “I was wrongly accused of touching someone one evening on their leg, neck, back, and bottom. That led to six charges of sexual assault. The only evidence against me was the individual’s account. However, CCTV footage obtained by the police contradicted their version of events. Their partner was also present throughout the evening in question and gave a statement to the police which did not support the allegations against me. It’s been a difficult time for everyone involved and I’d like to thank the people who have helped me through it as well as my family and loved ones for their continued support.”
The artist’s March album, Who Cares?, debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. charts and No. 5 on The Billboard 200. A non-album single, “Threat,” appeared in August.
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