Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has been charged with two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl.
The 81-year-old actor, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since it began in 1960, is accused of twice raping the girl in 1967.
The Crown Prosecution said it had been reviewing evidence against Roache since March 1 before coming to the decision to authorise charges.
Nazir Afzal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Roache to be charged with two offences of rape relating to a girl, aged 15, in 1967.”
The charges come nearly 12 hours after Roache was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and questioned by police.
ITV said Roache will not be appearing in Coronation Street “until legal proceedings are concluded”.
After his Coronation Street co-star Michael Le Vell was charged with 19 child sex offences, Roache called for anonymity for those accused of such crimes because of the stigma they face even if innocent.
Speaking to Sky News in March, he said: “If there is to be anonymity for the accusers at this stage, then there should most certainly be anonymity for those accused, until such time as there is strong evidence to show that there was some truth to the allegations at least.”
Le Vell, who will not appear as mechanic Kevin Webster while he awaits his trial, has stated publicly that he is innocent and will fight the allegations.
Roache will appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on May 14.
source: www.skynews.com
Tags: actor, Bill roache, charged, Corrie, rape
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