Rex Orange County Gets Sexual Assault Charges Dismissed

The British singer-songwriter, born Alex O'Connor, announced in an Instagram statement that the charges against him had been dropped, revealing that a mix of CCTV footage obtained by police and a witness account of the events failed to support the allegations. “The Crown Prosecution Service reviewed the evidence and decided that there is no merit, in this case, going to trial," O'Connor wrote. "I have always denied these allegations and I 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.”

O'Connor had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman on six separate occasions in June stemming from a night out in London's West End. "I was wrongly accused of touching someone one evening on their leg, neck, back, and bottom. That led to 6 charges of sexual assault," O'Connor wrote, explaining that he had been unable to address the case until now. O'Connor had maintained his innocence throughout the process, pleading not guilty to all charges.

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service told the BBC that "CPS prosecutors have a duty to keep each case under review. Having carefully considered all the evidence, our legal test for a prosecution was no longer met and so we will not be continuing a prosecution. We will always seek to prosecute sexual offences, where our legal test is met, no matter how challenging."

Rex Orange County had previously canceled the Australia, New Zealand and European legs of his tour supporting his most recent album, WHO CARES?, in July, citing "unforeseen personal circumstances." Fans had speculated this was potentially due to the fact that he was unable to leave the country as part of being released on unconditional bail.

“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.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, contact RAINN via chat or phone at 800-656-4673 for support and resources.

Photo via Getty/Emmanuele Contini/NurPhoto