Netflix Sex Education star in court charged with 26 sex offences against children and women

Actor Alexander Westwood, who appeared in Netflix's Sex Education, is on trial accused of 26 sexual offences against children and women. He denies the charges.

An actor known for his role on Sex Education has appeared in court accused of sexual offences against children and women.

Alexander Westwood, 24, is on trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 26 different offences. The actor, who starred in 17 episodes of the Netflix series, faces charges against offences relating to two children he gave acting lessons to. Among the alleged crimes are rape, with offences stretching back to before he was 10 years old. Ten of the charges relate to alleged sexual abuse of a girl over a seven-year time period.

Westwood has denied all charges made against him and has claimed his alleged victims have various motivations to falsely accuse him. On Monday, a court heard how he had allegedly forced hopeful actresses to recite Shakespeare naked before taking part in role play scenes without clothes on.

According to National World, Prosecutor Andrew Wallace told the jury: "Alexander Westwood is an actor. He is a supreme manipulator. All these charges have a common theme, of inappropriate touching and predatory behaviour. The 10 indictments concerning a girl, the first charge is on the date of his 10th birthday, that is the date because there is no criminality before this age."

The publication explained how the prosecutor continued: "If we were to list every instance there would be hundreds of charges."

It's claimed he used his stardom to manipulate his acting pupils. Mr Wallace told the court: "Then when giving acting lessons, he again used this as an opportunity to touch his pupils inappropriately. These are schoolgirls we are talking about, teenagers. Imagine asking Dame Judy Dench to recite Hamlet naked, she would tell you where to go."

In total, Westwood faces 26 offences. This includes four counts of rape of a woman over 16. Other charges he faces include three counts of causing a female 13 or over to engage in a non-penetrative sexual activity and one count of inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity. He also faces seven counts of sexual assault on a female and three counts of causing a child under 13 to watch a sexual act.

The trial against the actor is expected to last approximately a month.

If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999.

If you are 18 or under and have been affected by this story, you can contact Childline, confidentially on 0800 1111. You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline by phoning 0808 800 500 or emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.