Actor Alexander Westwood guilty of raping teen in acting classes

An actor known for being "manipulative and predatory" from the Netflix series Sex Education has been convicted of 26 sexual offenses, which include crimes against minors as well as two of his students whom he taught acting.

The trial revealed that Alexander Westwood, a resident of Albrighton in Shropshire, developed an interest in pornography when he was quite young.

He pleaded not guilty to 26 charges, which include the rape of a schoolgirl who sought his help for acting lessons, as well as the sexual assault of a child that occurred over an eight-year span.

He is scheduled to receive his sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court on February 25th.

Caution: Certain individuals might find some aspects of this story upsetting.

Jurors were told that Westwood, known for his role in the BBC series Doctors, was described as a "bad influence," and that his ongoing sexual offenses were a regular pattern and part of his way of life.

"He's a hunter," prosecutor Andrew Wallace stated.

When discussing two teenage girls who sought his guidance in acting, Mr. Wallace mentioned that one of them was "made to perform highly inappropriate scenes," while the other, pursuing her "dream" of transitioning from high school to a drama college in Birmingham, was repeatedly taken advantage of by him.

"As he gained notoriety, he encountered two young teenagers, just 16 years old, and took advantage of his respected status to exploit them," he stated.

From November 2020 to September 2021, Westwood sexually assaulted and raped the student attending drama school, and also encouraged her to partake in sexual activities.

"She aspired to become an actress and organized lessons with him. As time went by, the defendant was able to commit incredibly vile acts against her," Mr. Wallace stated.

He would physically contact her, manipulate himself, and sexually assault her, he stated.

Westwood discussed a intimate scene from the 1991 movie Frankie and Johnny, as well as a masturbation scene from Bridgerton, according to Mr. Wallace.

Whenever she asked him questions or pushed back against him, he would respond by saying, "Just follow your teacher's advice… do you believe in me?" he continued.

She was instructed to keep everything a secret, and when she expressed her intention to stop attending, he presented her with a contract. This was essentially a way to control her, binding her to a commitment of 365 lessons. He threatened her with a hefty fine of up to £18,000, or even £36,000, if she decided to break the agreement.

At one point, he even warned that he would inform her principal, according to Mr. Wallace.

The victim was a girl who had secured a spot at a theatre school in Birmingham. He mentioned that "whatever he can offer her in terms of acting and drama, she can receive there and even more."

"In the world of theater, he’s practically unknown. She didn’t rely on him, but he definitely relied on her."

His mistreatment of the second teenager took place concurrently, happening from May to August 2021.

She was presented with a screenplay that portrayed a moment between a father and his daughter rooted in Greek mythology. Westwood recommended that she perform without clothes, but she refused and later called the idea "strange."

However, she mentioned that she felt she had to comply, and she took her clothes off "but only because he wouldn't stop pressuring her about it."

He made physical contact with her chest and intimate area. She expressed feeling "repulsed."

Later, she sent him a message expressing that she felt "uneasy," and he responded with, "That's simply part of the acting process."

She stated that she had made up her mind not to see him again.

Mr. Wallace mentioned that the girls were unfamiliar with each other, yet they were discussing the same circumstances.

Jurors learned about another victim, a woman who was sexually assaulted from September 2020 to October 2021. She was restrained by her wrists, and the only way she could escape was by biting her attacker.

He mentioned that she told him he restrained her and yelled at her, while she would respond with, "I don't want to have sex." In reply, he would insist, "You just need to lie there."

The ongoing sexual abuse of a child from 2010 to 2018 was characterized as an "unbelievable record of mistreatment that occurred on numerous occasions."

The victim was forced to view explicit material, was groped, and urged to participate in sexual behavior.

Westwood was found guilty of encouraging another child, a boy who was between nine and ten years old, to participate in sexual acts.

In his defense, James Bloomer urged the jurors to remain impartial and avoid letting their feelings influence their judgment. He also challenged the testimonies provided by the alleged victims.

He referred to a woman's hesitation in bringing up any issues as "missed chances," which made it difficult to fully understand her point.

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