Former Spandau Ballet Star Ross Davidson Found Guilty of Serious Sexual Offences
Ross Davidson, the 37-year-old former frontman of 1980s band Spandau Ballet, has been convicted of multiple serious sexual offences following a trial at Wood Green Crown Court. The Aberdeen-born performer, who also used the stage name Ross Wild and starred in the West End musical We Will Rock You, was found guilty of raping one woman in London in 2015 and the attempted rape and sexual assault of another woman in Thailand in 2019.
Jury Deliberations and Guilty Verdicts
After more than eleven hours of deliberation, jurors returned unanimous guilty verdicts on Wednesday for all charges against Davidson. He had pleaded not guilty to the rape of a woman in London in March 2015, along with the attempted rape and sexual assault of another woman in Thailand in December 2019, maintaining throughout that all sexual encounters were consensual. However, Davidson had previously admitted to a separate charge of voyeurism relating to the Thailand incident after police discovered a secretly filmed video on his mobile phone.
Prosecution's Case and Victim Testimonies
Prosecutor Richard Hearnden told the court that Davidson, who was considered "charming and charismatic" and seen as "a bit of a sex symbol", had "a much darker side" that his victims did not initially notice. Hearnden argued that Davidson carried out the assaults because he felt entitled to "sex on demand" and would resort to rape and sexual assault when he did not receive what he believed he deserved.
The court heard harrowing details from both victims. The London rape victim described feeling "helpless" and "scared to react" when Davidson attacked her while she was asleep in his bed. She testified that before the assault, Davidson had mentioned his interest in having sex with someone in a helpless state. She also revealed he had placed her in a sex collar and wrist cuffs without permission for approximately twenty minutes, leaving her "confused" and in "a state of shock." Davidson dismissed these claims as "an out-and-out lie" during his testimony.
The Thailand victim awoke in a hotel bedroom to find Davidson attempting to have sex with her without consent or protection. She recalled that after calmly talking him down from the attempted rape, Davidson said "thanks for being cool about it." The prosecution presented video evidence from Davidson's phone showing the woman being fondled while she was "asleep, still and unresponsive" and "at least half naked" in the hotel room. The woman stated she had no knowledge of the video's existence until police informed her in 2023 and strongly rejected Davidson's suggestion that she had given permission for such contact during sleep.
Defence Arguments and Emotional Testimony
Davidson, who met both women through the Tinder dating app, described himself as "sex positive" and told the court this involved "open dialogue, open-mindedness about people's predilections, just an openness to trying different sexual appetites." He acknowledged interests that could include bondage, restraint, and group sex, and admitted attending sex parties "once or twice." Regarding the Thailand incident, Davidson described a whirlwind romance with consensual sex and discussions about "kinks and fantasies, very normal fantasies."
While admitting the voyeurism charge related to the secret filming, Davidson denied the sexual assault allegation from the same incident. He stated he created the video for "selfish reasons, for sexual gratification" and claimed he "had permission to touch her but not to film." Becoming emotional during his testimony, Davidson told the jury, "I wish I had never done it."
Sentencing and Next Steps
A further hearing has been scheduled for February 4 at Wood Green Crown Court, where a sentencing date is expected to be discussed. The convictions mark a dramatic fall from grace for the musical theatre actor and aspiring songwriter, whose career included performing with the iconic 1980s band Spandau Ballet and appearing in prominent West End productions.
