According to The Mail on Sunday, an X Factor finalist has filed charges of sexual assault by a prominent music industry figure to police.
Katie Waissel, who reached the finals of the ITV programme in 2010, claims she was assaulted at a Los Angeles hotel in 2015 by a man who was a former employee of Sony Music and Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment company and officers from the Los Angeles Police Department have been notified, according to reports.
“I may not speak often of my past and continued trauma, as quite frankly I’m still navigating it, but do not mistake my silence for being silenced,” Ms Waissel, who has renounced her right to anonymity, added.
She went on to add: “I have a duty to my younger self, to all others that have been through similar, to get the justice and closure we rightly deserve.
“I would like to reiterate that this is now a criminal and legal case. This is a highly sensitive matter and should not be taken lightly by any means. All I politely request is for all to be kind, compassionate, supportive of one another.”
As the music industry gears up for a rampant increase in #MeToo cases, Katie marks the second X Factor performer to lodge such a complaint to the police.
Rebecca Ferguson, who participated in the same series as Ms Waissel, went to the Metropolitan Police to make charges of harassment and coercion against a top industry figure, the Mail on Sunday revealed last month.
In response to the allegation, a spokesperson for Syco Entertainment stated: “We were made aware via the media of Katie’s claims in autumn 2017 and we immediately contacted her and began an investigation.
“We were naturally shocked at the allegations and wanted to do anything we could to help – so we asked her to lodge a complaint with us and detail the allegations for that purpose.”
“In the interim we suspended the accused. Despite a number of requests to Katie asking her to detail the claims to us, she chose not to make a complaint over his behaviour. As a result, and without other evidence to the contrary, we were obliged to accept his denial of the claims.”
“We, of course, remain ready and keen to investigate her claims if she so chooses to detail them to us, even though the alleged perpetrator no longer works for either Syco or Sony Music.”
Education: Computer Network Engineering, Computer Desktop Administration
Fave Song: Destiny's Child 'Dangerously in love'
Fave Colour: Grey.
With £1m what would you do: I would do my part to provide opportunities to the less fortunate. Then do my best to change the world in my own way through sports and talent building.
