This is the moment I introduced convicted rapist Ross Davidson to two female friends, four years before he was arrested and charged with a string of appalling crimes against women.
The Scottish singer, who performed as Ross William Wild, has been sentenced to 14 years behind bars after he was found guilty across two trials of two counts of rape, an attempted rape, three sexual assaults, and two charges of voyeurism, in offences committed between August 2013 and December 2019.
Little more than a year prior to his last known offence, I was in attendance at London’s Eventim Apollo Hammersmith as Davidson made his Spandau Ballet debut, shortly after replacing founding member Tony Hadley.
It was October 29, 2018, and following an hour long performance I would soon meet the Scotsman as the band convened for celebratory drinks, unaware that I was introducing my friends to a serial predator.
A simmering feud, sparked by a bitter legal dispute over royalties, had led to Hadley’s departure from Spandau Ballet some 12 months earlier – a potentially catastrophic move, given his distinctive baritone vocals were instrumental in turning their songs into the enduring, global hits they became.
That is, until Davidson’s starring role as Elvis Presley in a touring production of hit musical Million Dollar Quartet impressed co-star Martin Kemp enough to consider the impossible and draft him into the band.
This is the moment I introduced convicted rapist Ross Davidson to two female friends, four years before he was arrested and charged with a string of appalling sexual crimes against women
Kemp later claimed that Davidson ‘gave me goosebumps every time he sang,’ and virtuoso bandmate Steve Norman was equally enthusiastic about their youthful new recruit.
‘To quote one of our own songs: “There’s power in his voice and it makes us feel so sure…” he said.
‘Ross not only has the technical ability to cover Spandau’s songs but he’s already introducing his artistic creativity to the fold. On top of that he’s a right nice bloke. We struck lucky.’
As Davidson begins his 14 year prison sentence for rape, the band may well have cause to regret those comments.
But his appalling record of sexual assault was four years away from exposure as I watched his first live performance with Spandau Ballet.
Surrounded by a partisan crowd of fans, including former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, I was impressed by Davidson’s energy and enthusiasm as he ploughed through the hour long set.
While the voice fitted the songs, the outfits were rather different, with Hadley and his trademark suits exchanged for Davidson’s diverse range of muscle vests, skinny jeans and frilly, New Romantic inspired shirts.
Fans heard the usual mix of old classics, including a medley of synth heavy favourities To Cut A Long Story Short, Muscle Bound and Chant No. 1 ( I Don’t Need This Pressure On) – introduced by Davidson as ‘The Blitz.’
Gary Kemp, the band’s principal songwriter, was front and centre, even taking vocal duties from Davidson on two separate occasions as the singer hurried backstage for three separate outfit changes.
Davidson would later return as power ballad Through the Barricades closed the show with a showering light display, while crowd pleaser Gold had everyone on their feet after the band returned for an expected encore.
A ball of energy onstage, the Kemp brothers were surprisingly withdrawn at the ensuing after-party, held on the Eventim Apollo mezzanine, opting to surround themselves with attending family members while politely declining our photo requests.
Davidson has been sentenced to 14 years in prison sentence for rape, attempted rape, three sexual assaults, and two charges of voyeurism, in offences committed between August 2013 and December 2019
Davidson’s appalling record of sexual assault was four years away from exposure as I watched his first live performance with Spandau Ballet in 2018 (pictured)
But man-of-the-moment Davidson was surprisingly forthcoming after turning up in a skintight T-shirt and equally skinny jeans, his hair teased into a boyish quiff.
Polite and agreeable on the night, the singer draped his arms across the shoulders of my female friends as we huddled in for a group photo, unaware of his shameful track record of rape and sexual assault.
Four years later, he would be arrested at home.
Davidson was convicted across two trials of two counts of rape, an attempted rape, three sexual assaults, and two charges of voyeurism, in offences committed between August 2013 and December 2019.
He was on Thursday jailed for 14 years.
The Scotsman had become ‘a bit of a sex symbol’ with the minor fame he had built up and thought it gave him the right to have any woman he wanted, the court was told.
Davidson denied the assaults and told the court during trial: ‘I have never raped, sexually assaulted or coerced any woman in my life.’
He called himself ‘sex positive’ and claimed all contact with the women was consensual, but juries found him guilty of a string of charges.
Davidson, from Finchley, north London, had a secret desire to have sex with women while they slept – and got a kick out of filming it too, Wood Green crown court heard.
He first stood trial in July 2024 when he was convicted of assaults against three women. He was convicted by the jury of raping the first woman and of sexually assaulting the second and third woman. He was also convicted of voyeurism, in relation to a fourth complainant.
The singer has been described as ‘a predatory sex offender who targeted multiple victims over a number of years’ (pictured in an undated social media photo)
Davidson filmed himself raping one woman and some of the sexual assault charges, which were based on videos recovered from his phone, showed ‘strikingly similar’ incidents where he touched sleeping women, the prosecution said.
Prosecutor Richard Hearnden said videos were taken when women were ‘as vulnerable as can be’ as they were in ‘such a deep sleep that they could not be disturbed’. They found out about the sexual assaults when the police told them.’
He was convicted of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault after a trial in January. In July 2024, he was convicted by a jury of rape, two charges of sexual assault and voyeurism of the fourth complainant.
Shikha Verma, Senior Crown Prosecutor in CPS London said: ‘Ross Davidson is a predatory sex offender who targeted multiple victims over a number of years. Several of these offences were committed against women while they were asleep.
‘I want to pay tribute to the victims for their immense courage in supporting the prosecution and Davidson has now been held accountable for his horrific crimes.
‘We understand the courage it takes for victims to come forward and would like to reassure any victims that the CPS will continue to work tirelessly with partners across the criminal justice system to ensure sexual abusers face the full extent of the law.’
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