Country music legend and Wimbledon resident Mervyn Conn has appeared in court charged with the rape and indecent assault of a teenager in the 1970s.
Mr Conn, 81, of Convent Way, Wimbledon, appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court this morning charged with one count of raping a woman under 16-years-old and one count of raping a woman 16 years or over, as well as one count of attempted buggery with a woman.
He has also been charged with three counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 and one count of indecent assault on a woman over 16-years-old.
The assaults are alleged to have taken place between 1975 and 1977 in the Wimbledon, Westminster and Wembley areas of London when the woman was a teenager.
Mr Conn indicated a plea of not guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates'. He is due to enter a formal plea at his next court appearance, at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, April 1.
Mr Conn, who is widely credited with bringing country music to the UK, was instrumental in the early careers of Johnny Cash, the Beatles and Nina Simone, and even once dined with Margaret Thatcher at 10 Downing Street.
He was arrested at Gatwick Airport in July 2014 and charged on February 2.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article