A former Britain’s Got Talent finalist has described his sex as “fast, energetic, maybe a pit passionate” while in court as he is accused of raping two women. Andrew Johnston, 30, cried at London’s Southwark Crown Court as he denied two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
He told the jury he was never aggressive, always used a condom and the sex was consensual. Johnston, who shot to fame as a choirboy when he came third in the ITV talent show in 2008, is charged with raping and sexually assaulting one woman and raping another woman.
He said he had been messaging and dating a lot around the time of the alleged offences. Johnston, who landed a record deal with Simon Cowell, told the jury he has suffered from depression.
He added that his mental health is “terrible” and he has broken up with a girlfriend. While in court on Wednesday, he said: “I was in a bad place. I was just in a really bad place.”
Asked about the impact on his life, he added: “I had lost everything my career, my girlfriend over this period of time. I just got into a bad state really quickly. I have never sung a note since. I can’t bring myself to.”
Stopping to drop his head and in a shaky voice, he added: “I just can’t bring myself to.”
Johnston’s alleged victims have claimed he slipped a condom off during sex and continued having intercourse. One of them also alleges he groped her bum and kissed her when she saw him at a club.
Johnston, who is now a full-time roofer, told the court the charges “are on my mind every single day”. Defence counsel Rupert Kent asked: “Are you guilty of these three charges?” Johnston replied: “I am not at all.”
In relation to the first rape allegation, Mr Kent asked Johnston if he “at any time” reasonably believed that she was not consenting. Johnston replied: “It was always consenting.” He was also asked if he touched her, and Johnston answered “no never”.
Speaking earlier, Johnston said: “I have waited to have my say on this. I have waited to give evidence but it is not easy.”
He described the situation as “awful”, adding: “It is not me. It is not the way I was brought up. It is not something I would do and it does not sound like me at all.”
Johnston came third on his series of Britain’s Got Talent and went on to sign a record deal with Simon. His mother had entered him to the talent show where he performed his version of Pie Jesu and Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven.
He released an album that went to number four in the charts. Johnston’s early fame stopped when his voice changed as he adapted his signing.
He told the court: “It went on for a couple of years until my voice started to change. It became a bit difficult to sing the songs I was singing in the show.”
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
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