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| Bill Roache 'astounded' and 'deeply horrified' by rape allegations | Bill Roache 'astounded' and 'deeply horrified' by rape allegations |
| (8 days later) | |
| Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has said he is "astounded and deeply horrified" after being charged with rape, as he denied two alleged offences involving a 15-year-old girl in 1967. | Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has said he is "astounded and deeply horrified" after being charged with rape, as he denied two alleged offences involving a 15-year-old girl in 1967. |
| Roache, who was arrested on Wednesday morning on suspicion of two counts of rape and later bailed after being charged, said he intended to fight for his innocence. | Roache, who was arrested on Wednesday morning on suspicion of two counts of rape and later bailed after being charged, said he intended to fight for his innocence. |
| "I am astounded and deeply horrified by the extraordinary events of the last 24 hours," he said in a statement on Thursday. | "I am astounded and deeply horrified by the extraordinary events of the last 24 hours," he said in a statement on Thursday. |
| "I strenuously deny the allegations and will now focus my full attention on fighting to preserve my innocence in the challenging times ahead. | "I strenuously deny the allegations and will now focus my full attention on fighting to preserve my innocence in the challenging times ahead. |
| "I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all those people who have offered me their support and good wishes at this difficult time." | "I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all those people who have offered me their support and good wishes at this difficult time." |
| Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: "We have carefully considered all the evidence gathered by Lancashire police in relation to William Roache following allegations of rape. | Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: "We have carefully considered all the evidence gathered by Lancashire police in relation to William Roache following allegations of rape. |
| "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." Roache will appear at Preston magistrates' court on May 14. | "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." Roache will appear at Preston magistrates' court on May 14. |
| Roache, 81, who plays Ken Barlow in the ITV show, is the longest-serving cast member on Coronation Street, having appeared in its first episode on 9 December, 1960, and has a Guinness World Records award for being the world's longest serving soap actor. | Roache, 81, who plays Ken Barlow in the ITV show, is the longest-serving cast member on Coronation Street, having appeared in its first episode on 9 December, 1960, and has a Guinness World Records award for being the world's longest serving soap actor. |
| An ITV spokesman said the actor would not be appearing in Coronation Street until legal proceedings were concluded. Roache's character is expected to be written out of ITV's flagship soap in the meantime, posing a complex challenge for producers to edit Barlow out of several storylines. | An ITV spokesman said the actor would not be appearing in Coronation Street until legal proceedings were concluded. Roache's character is expected to be written out of ITV's flagship soap in the meantime, posing a complex challenge for producers to edit Barlow out of several storylines. |
| Detectives searched the actor's house in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and took him to be interviewed at an undisclosed police station in Lancashire on Wednesday. Lancashire constabulary said the offences are alleged to have been committed in Haslingden between April and July 1967. | Detectives searched the actor's house in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and took him to be interviewed at an undisclosed police station in Lancashire on Wednesday. Lancashire constabulary said the offences are alleged to have been committed in Haslingden between April and July 1967. |
| In March, Roache apologised after he appeared to suggest victims of sex crimes were being punished for past sins. | In March, Roache apologised after he appeared to suggest victims of sex crimes were being punished for past sins. |
| He told New Zealand's One News TV show that "if you accept that you are pure love, and if you know that you are pure love … these things won't happen to you". | He told New Zealand's One News TV show that "if you accept that you are pure love, and if you know that you are pure love … these things won't happen to you". |
| Asked to clarify if that meant "victims bring things on themselves", Roache added: "No, not quite, but and yet I am … everything that happens to us has been a result of what we have been in previous lives." | Asked to clarify if that meant "victims bring things on themselves", Roache added: "No, not quite, but and yet I am … everything that happens to us has been a result of what we have been in previous lives." |
| He also called for anonymity for those accused of child sex offences because of the stigma they faced even if innocent. | He also called for anonymity for those accused of child sex offences because of the stigma they faced even if innocent. |
| Roache's comments were condemned by abuse charities and he later said he was "very sorry for any offence that has been caused as a result of my comments". | Roache's comments were condemned by abuse charities and he later said he was "very sorry for any offence that has been caused as a result of my comments". |
| Roache's wife, Sara, died in 2009 after more than 30 years of marriage to the Coronation Street actor. The pair have two grown-up children. | Roache's wife, Sara, died in 2009 after more than 30 years of marriage to the Coronation Street actor. The pair have two grown-up children. |
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