All charges against Rex Orange County dropped in sexual assault case
Rex Orange County has shared a statement to reveal that all charges against him in a sexual assault case have been dropped and has detailed the allegations to end the rumours and conjecture.
In October, the musician, whose real name is Alex O’Connor, was charged with six counts of sexual assault in London after a female individual made reports to the police. O’Connor subsequently pleaded not guilty to all charges at Southwark Crown Court.
The 24-year-old musician was accused of assaulting the woman six times between June 1st and 2nd. It was alleged that he assaulted the woman twice in London’s West End, once in a taxi, and three times at his home in Notting Hill, according to The Sun. He was set to face trial provisionally on January 3rd, 2023.
In a statement posted today, O’Connor has now revealed that all charges against him have been dropped.
The statement from O’Connor reads: “Today, all charges against me have been dropped. The Crown Prosecution Service reviewed the evidence and decided that there is no merit in this case going to trial, not guilty verdicts were entered to all the charges. 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 behaviour of any kind”.
He added: “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. I was wrongly accused of touching someone one evening on their leg, neck, back, and bottom. That led to 6 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.”
When the charges were made in October, a representative for O’Connor told Pitchfork: “Alex is shocked by the allegations which he denies and looks forward to clearing his name in court. He is unable to make any further comment because of the ongoing proceedings.”
O’Connor was released on unconditional bail following a preliminary hearing in court in October. The singer-songwriter had cancelled a run of tour dates due to “unforeseen personal circumstances” back in July. It has been suggested that the allegations could have been a factor in the decision, but this hasn’t been confirmed.
“I am having to spend some time at home this year and I will not able to continue touring as planned,” he wrote in a social media post at the time.
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