Former Spandau Ballet frontman raped a woman and filmed himself groping another, court hears

Ross Davidson, 37, who used the stage name of Ross Wild, had starred in Queen-based West End musical We Will Rock You, and performed in 2018 as the singer for 80s favourites Spandau Ballet.

The Aberdeen-born musical theatre actor, aspiring songwriter and singer is alleged to have raped a woman and filmed himself groping another, Wood Green Crown Court heard.

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Davidson, of Finchley, north London, has pleaded not guilty to the rape of a woman in London in March 2015.

He also denies the attempted rape and sexual assault of another woman in Thailand in December 2019.

The jury has also been told he has also pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism in December 2019 against the same woman.

Prosecutor Richard Hearnden said: "As a performer and as an individual, Wild was a bit of a sex symbol.

"He is handsome and athletic. He sings, plays the guitar, and is said to be charming and charismatic.

"But there are two women who say that he has a much darker side that they did not notice, at least at first. That is what this case is all about.

"Men such as the defendant, it is often supposed, can get any girl he wants without having to resort to committing sexual offences, without having to resort to forcing himself on women, without having to resort to rape.

"After all, he is attractive and possesses charisma and charm. Yet, the reality belies that supposition.

"It is because Ross Davidson expects to get sex on demand that he will resort to rape and sexual assault if he is not given what he thinks he deserves."

The woman who claims she was raped by Davidson when they were in London says she felt "scared, intimidated and helpless" during the attack as "he was so much stronger than she was and felt concerned for her safety".

A flashback eventually forced her to later report it.

Video footage on Davidson's mobile phone led detectives to another of his accusers, a woman he had met on Tinder.

In the video, she is lying down "at least half-naked" in a hotel bedroom in Phuket, Thailand.

It is alleged she was groped and "the only thing you can hear is the sound of snoring - she was asleep, still and unresponsive," Mr Hearnden told the jury.

She did not consent to being intimately touched by the defendant and had no idea the video existed until the police told her.

The woman said she had "drunk sex" with Davidson, but did not consent on the following day when she was a bit hungover and he allegedly tried to rape her.

She described herself as being "very afraid in this moment", and it felt like "a very dangerous situation to be in", the court heard.

Defence counsel Charlotte Newell KC stated that Davidson denies raping, trying to rape or sexually assaulting either woman.

She said: "He will say there was no sex at all with her in London as he was not sexually attracted to her - and that maybe disappointing or upsetting - in reality there was no spark for him."

Davidson denies attempting to rape a woman in her sleep when they were in Thailand, Ms Newell said.

He says the sexual touching was with permission and she was just pretending to be asleep.

Ms Newell added: "He understands that she would be upset when she found out he had videoed her."