Former BBC DJ Tim Westwood, aged 68, has appeared in a central London court charged with rape and sexual assault, facing a total of 15 charges relating to alleged attacks on seven women. During a brief hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday, Westwood was informed that he must return to Southwark Crown Court in December to face these serious allegations, which span from 1983 to 2016.

The charges against Westwood include four counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and nine counts of indecent assault. These offences are said to involve seven different women over a significant period. Some specific allegations highlight three charges of indecent assault at the BBC studios around 1996, where he is accused of forcing himself on a woman, groping her breasts, and kissing her.

Further detailed allegations include the rape of a woman at a London hotel in 1996, and the sexual assault of another woman at a London music festival about two decades later, specifically in 2016. He is also charged with the indecent assault of a 17-year-old girl in Fulham, London, in 1983, and another woman in London between 1984 and 1985.

The charges also extend to the alleged rape and sexual assault of a female aged between 17 and 18 in London in 1996, as well as the rape and indecent assault of another female in the same age bracket in London between 2000 and 2002. Additionally, Westwood faces charges for the rape of a woman in her 20s in London in 2010 and the sexual assault of a woman in her 20s in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

During his appearance, wearing dark trousers and a dark grey shirt, Westwood spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, and address. He was not required to enter pleas to any of the charges at this stage. The Chief Magistrate, Paul Goldspring, granted Westwood conditional bail, which explicitly forbids him from contacting prosecution witnesses. His lawyer, Orla Daly, successfully argued for bail that would allow Westwood to travel abroad. He had returned to the UK from Nigeria last week ahead of the hearing.

Westwood will next appear at Southwark Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on December 8. The former DJ has consistently stated that he