Coronation Street star Roache faces rape charges

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has been charged with two counts of rape of a 15-year-old girl in 1967.

The 81-year-old, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since its launch, was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, yesterday.

Nazir Afzal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Crown Prosecution Service North West, said: "We have carefully considered all the evidence gathered by Lancashire Police in relation to William Roache following allegations of rape.

“We have been reviewing evidence and providing early investigative advice to Lancashire Police since March 1st, 2013.

“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 alleged offences of rape relating to a girl, aged 15, in 1967.”

Mr Roache will appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on May 14th.

Mr Roache - the world’s longest-serving soap actor - will not appear in the show while investigations continue.

An ITV spokesman said last night: “Bill Roache will not be appearing in Coronation Street until legal proceedings are concluded.”

Mr Roache, wearing a dark pullover, checked shirt and jacket, returned to his home last night, around 14 hours after his initial arrest, in a car driven by his solicitor.

Mr Roache made no comment, but as his solicitor left in the car last night he said: “Mr Roache will make a statement in the morning.”

Mr Roache collected an award from Guinness World Records in 2010 for his long service in Coronation Street, having joined in 1960 and appearing regularly ever since.

Mr Afzal said: “This decision was taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and our guidance for prosecutors on sexual offences.

“Mr Roache has a right to a fair trial and it is therefore very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.”

Mr Roache’s arrest comes little over a month after he appeared to suggest that sex abuse victims were being punished for sins in a past life. He issued an apology over the comments in March.

He was interviewed for a New Zealand news programme and said the public should not be judgmental but be “totally forgiving” of people who had committed child sex crimes.

He told the programme: “If you accept that you are pure love, and if you know that you are pure love and therefore live that pure love, these things won’t happen to you.”

Asked to clarify whether that meant victims brought the abuse on themselves, he said: “No, not quite, but and yet I am, because everything that happens to us has been a result of what we have been in previous lives or whatever.”

He also called for anonymity for those accused of child sex offences because of the stigma they faced even if innocent.

Roache later issued a statement saying he was “sorry for any offence that has been caused as a result of my comments”.

His comments were condemned by abuse charities.

In a TV interview last year the actor said he had slept with up to 1,000 women.

PA