X Factor star tells of sex attack by music executive
AN X FACTOR star has reported claims of sexual assault by a senior music industry figure to police, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Katie Waissel, who made the finals of the ITV show in 2010, alleges that she was attacked by the man – a former employee of Sony Music and Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment company – in a Los Angeles hotel in 2015. It is understood officers at the LA police department have been alerted.
Ms Waissel, who has waived her right to anonymity, said: ‘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. I have a duty to my
‘I have a duty to my younger self to get justice’
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.’
With the pop world bracing itself for a wave of #MeToo cases, the 35-year-old is the second star of the popular talent show to make serious allegations to police. The MoS revealed last month that Rebecca Ferguson, who starred in the same series as Ms Waissel, had gone to the Metropolitan Police to report claims of harassment and coercive control against a senior industry figure.
Last night, a spokesman for Syco Entertainment said: ‘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.’