Britain’s Got Talent choirboy Andrew Johnston accused of raping two women as former child singer appears in court
Former Britain’s Got Talent finalist Andrew Johnston is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of raping two women whilst studying opera at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
The 30-year-old singer, who rose to fame as a choirboy on the ITV talent show in 2008, denies two charges of rape and one count of sexual assault.
Prosecutors told the court that Johnston is accused of grabbing the alleged victims by the throat during sex and refusing to wear a condom, The Sun reports.
The former contestant, who finished third in the second series of Britain’s Got Talent at age 13, allegedly attacked the women while completing a two-year diploma in opera at the prestigious music academy.
Johnston, from Carlisle, received a £1million record deal with Simon Cowell’s Syco Music after his television success.
Maryam Syed, prosecuting, detailed the first alleged attack, saying Johnston removed a condom during sex, causing the complainant to beg him to stop.
The woman claims Johnston continued regardless, grabbing her throat while pinning her down.
He allegedly “became more forceful” and slammed the headboard into the wall as the woman began “panicking”.
The court heard the woman had previously explained to Johnston she “did not like certain things in sexual activity because of previous bad experiences and she specifically said things like hands around the throat”.
Jurors were told that when Johnston later encountered the woman at a bar, he groped her bottom and refused to leave.
He then allegedly grabbed her by the shoulders, verbally abused her and “forcibly” kissed the woman.
The second alleged victim was attacked after Johnston took her to a “sex club” in London, the court heard.
She told the singer to wear a condom, which he later removed during intercourse without her consent.
Ms Syed told the court: “She described how she started to feel the defendant’s hands around her neck, and no matter how many times she removed them, she said the defendant Mr Johnston kept on putting his hands back around her throat.”
The prosecutor added: “She made, she told police, multiple attempts to remove his hands but he did not remove them.”
Johnston has denied all charges against him. The trial at Southwark Crown Court continues.
Johnston’s album ‘One Voice’ reached number five in the UK charts following his Britain’s Got Talent success.
After his initial fame, Johnston returned to education, eventually pursuing his opera studies at the Royal Academy of Music.
Speaking in 2019, Johnston said: “Since 2017 I’ve been working full-time as a roofer.”
He added: “I’ve also been having singing lessons in Manchester to prepare for auditions. The most exciting thing for me will be starting my course in London in the autumn of 2019.”
Johnston expressed his ambition for opera, stating: “Opera is what I want to do. I am expecting it to be tough and intense but that’s what I want. I want to be challenged at the highest level.”
Earlier in his career, the young singer had contemplated his changing voice, saying: “I could be a tenor or a baritone – or I could even train to be a bass.”