Marvin Humes has shown support for his former JLS bandmate Oritse Williams, after he was cleared of raping a woman at a hotel in December 2016.
The singer said he’s glad Oritse’s “three years of hell” is over, after a jury cleared his friend of the charges at Wolverhampton Crown Court this afternoon.
Sharing a picture of his pal, Marvin wrote: “Cleared.. Not Guilty! Finally my brother @oritsemusic three years of hell is over!”
“No-one will ever know or imagine what he’s been through..I’m just so proud of the way he conducted himself during what has been the most awful time..he is so strong and I know he can’t wait to start his life again now..We love you O.” [sic]
Marvin’s wife Rochelle also posted a photo of her and Oritse, and wrote: “This here is our brother, one of the kindest, most gentle, thoughtful men I know. Today he was cleared NOT guilty after 3 years of absolute hell.”
“I’m so proud of how you have conducted yourself throughout this time, I really don’t think I could have held myself in the same way. Reesh we love you so much and I’m writing this crying so many happy tears, it’s over.”
The 32-year-old, who rose to fame as part of the band JLS on The X Factor back in 2008, was accused of sexually assaulting a woman after a concert in Wolverhampton in December 2016.
During a nine-day trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, the woman claimed that she “lay like a dead body” during the alleged incident.
In a recording from the woman’s police interview, she alleged: “The whole time I was telling him to get off me, ‘f**k off’, but he was not having it.”
“He was making gross remarks about my body. I was crying, I could not comprehend it any more. It was horrible, not feeling like you have any self control in your body.
“It was really bad. I lay like a dead body for a bit. I just wanted it to be over. I was quite scared but not terrified. I felt more pathetic and weak. It kills your confidence. It kills everything. I felt worthless,” the woman added.
Despite her claims, Oritse and his defence team insisted that he engaged in consensual sex with the woman in his hotel room, and that she thanked him when they parted company.
The singer’s tour manager Jamien Nagadhana was also found not guilty of sexual assault and assault by penetration.
Jamien said he had tried to start a threesome, and admitted to touching the woman in an intimate area for five to six seconds, before returning to his bed after she did not respond.
Jurors deliberated for approximately two hours, before both men were unanimously acquitted this afternoon.
