close
close

Court hears: Former Spandau Ballet singer accused of multiple rapes ‘told woman she deserved it’

A former singer with the Spandau Ballet told one of the numerous women he is accused of raping in court that she “deserved it”.

Ross William Wild, whose real name is Ross Davidson, is on trial at London’s Wood Green Crown Court for a series of sexual offences against five women and the rape of three of them between 2013 and 2023.

During the trial of the 36-year-old, which began on Tuesday, it was revealed that he also had a “darker” and “more sinister” side. He fantasized about having sex with sleeping women and having “sex on demand.” He allegedly wanted sex up to six times a night and forced himself on women who rejected his advances.

Davidson – who was previously known for his leading role in the West End musical “We Will Rock You” before becoming lead singer of pop group Spandau Ballet – is said to have filmed himself groping women in their sleep and role-playing rape scenarios.

Davidson, who was born in Aberdeen, filmed himself allegedly raping one of the five women after they had an argument at his flat in Finchley, north London, on October 1, 2013.

Ross Davidson was previously known for his leading role in the West End musical “We Will Rock You” before becoming the lead singer of the pop group Spandau Ballet (Instagram)Ross Davidson was previously known for his leading role in the West End musical “We Will Rock You” before becoming the lead singer of the pop group Spandau Ballet (Instagram)

Ross Davidson was previously known for his leading role in the West End musical “We Will Rock You” before becoming the lead singer of the pop group Spandau Ballet (Instagram)

She told the court that Davidson was aggressive and angry and paced the bedroom, calling her a “slut” and a “whore” before raping her.

Prosecutor Richard Hearnden asked her: “Did he touch you in any way?” The alleged victim replied: “Yes, he started touching me, he invaded my privacy and then started touching me.”

The prosecutor asked: “He touched you, what was going through your mind?” She replied: “What’s wrong? I was in tears, we had an argument. This is not the right time to get that close to someone, let alone start something.”

“He suddenly became calm and told me, this is what I want, this is what I deserve.”

She claimed Davidson then pushed her back onto the bed and raped her. “He was quite aggressive, quite strong,” jurors heard. “I said what are you doing, stop, get off me… The whole time I was crying.”

Mr Hearnden asked the woman: “Why didn’t you report it straight away?” She replied: “I couldn’t believe it happened. I didn’t want to believe it. It became normal. I felt like I deserved it.”

The prosecutor asked her, “Did you and he ever talk about it?” The woman said, “He didn’t talk to me about it. I brought it up years later and he said, ‘No, I don’t remember that.'”

(From left) Martin Kemp, Steve Norman, Ross William Wild, Gary Kemp and John Keeble of Spandau Ballet backstage before a show in London in June 2018 (WireImage/Getty)(From left) Martin Kemp, Steve Norman, Ross William Wild, Gary Kemp and John Keeble of Spandau Ballet backstage before a show in London in June 2018 (WireImage/Getty)

(From left) Martin Kemp, Steve Norman, Ross William Wild, Gary Kemp and John Keeble of Spandau Ballet backstage before a show in London in June 2018 (WireImage/Getty)

Davidson denied all allegations and, when questioned by police, insisted that “everything between him and the women in question was consensual” and stressed that he was unconventional in his sexual preferences.

Mr Hearnden had previously testified in court that another woman had told police she did not know Davidson had filmed himself groping her breasts.

Jurors also heard that he told a woman he allegedly raped that he liked the idea of ​​having sex with a mannequin or doll.

Another attack is said to have occurred in May 2018 in Cannes, France, when the musician was attending the film festival there.

Davidson is accused of raping a fourth woman in his home and filming her performing a sex act without her consent. The court said he allegedly treated her like a “sex slave.”

Mr Hearnden said: “If these things are true, the defendant was an extremely manipulative and sadistic person.

“She was used as a kind of sex slave. He wanted to have intercourse with her five or six times a night. When she said that was too much, he forced her to have sex with him.”

A fifth woman stayed at his home in 2015 after meeting the star on dating website Plenty of Fish three years earlier, the court heard. Mr Hearnden said she woke up in his bed and caught him having sex with her in her sleep.

Davidson, from Finchley, north London, denies three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, one count of voyeurism, one count of intimidation and one count of controlling behaviour.

He replaced Tony Hadley as lead singer of Spandau Ballet in 2018, after playing Elvis Presley alongside bassist Martin Kemp in the hit West End musical Million Dollar Quartet about a decade ago. However, Davidson lasted less than a year after Gary Kemp said the band would not tour again unless the original – and much older – line-up regrouped.

The process continues.