Rex Orange County, the singer-songwriter born Alexander O’Connor, has shared a statement in which he claims all charges against him in a sexual assault case have been dropped.
The news of the court case was first reported in October with O'Connor having pleaded not guilty to six charges. A trial was due to begin in January 2023. However, as The Sun reports, the 24-year-old has been cleared after the Crown Prosecution Service found there was not enough evidence to pursue the case.
"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," he wrote in a message shared on social meida. "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.
"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."
Rex Orange County released his fourth studio album, Who Cares?, in March of this year. In July he cancelled international tour dates due to “unforeseen personal circumstances," without mentioning the case at the time.