A former Britain's Got Talent contestant who signed a lucrative deal with Simon Cowell's label has been cleared of sexually assaulting two women.
Andrew Johnston, 30, who performed as a singer on the TV show in 2008, told the court he had “not sung a note” since the charges were laid.
Johnston was charged with raping and sexually assaulting one woman and raping another, but told Southwark Crown Court both women were lying.
As the not-guilty verdict was read, Johnston, wearing a grey suit, clasped his head in his hands and began to cry.
He described his intimate relationships as “fast, energetic and maybe a little passionate,” adding that he was never aggressive, always used a condom and that the sex was consensual.
A jury of nine women and three men acquitted him of all charges.
The alleged offences took place several years after Johnston rose to fame performing in the choir on the ITV show, prosecutor Maryam Sayed previously told jurors.
Ms Syed said Johnston, of Carlisle, Cumbria, “had consensual sex” with one of the women but allegedly removed the condom while she “repeatedly asked him to stop” and he did not.
Another woman also told police she had consensual sex with the singer and asked him to use a condom.
She claimed she began to feel his hands on her neck and “no matter how many times she moved them away” he continued to squeeze her throat again, Ms Syed said.
He then reportedly stopped and removed the condom before continuing the sexual encounter.
The singer, who was born in Dumfries, Scotland but moved to the region when he was about eight months old, released an album that reached number four in the UK charts and went on a national tour with other Britain's Got Talent finalists.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
