A former Britain’s Got Talent finalist said he has “lost everything” and will be “slowly rebuilding” his life after being cleared of raping two women.
Andrew Johnston, 30, who competed as a singer on the television programme in 2008, was charged with raping and sexually assaulting one woman and raping another, but he told Southwark Crown Court both women had told “a pack of lies”.
His trial was previously told the former talent show contestant has “never sung a note” since the allegations were made against him.
On Thursday, Mr Johnston held his head in his hands and sobbed as he was cleared of all charges by a jury of nine women and three men.
Speaking outside the court, after the verdicts, Mr Johnston said: “I’m just glad it’s over, it’s been super stressful.
“It’s been five years of this, people doubting me, and I’ve not been able to say anything for five years, so I’ve only just been able to get my say and, thankfully, the right decision has been made, but I just want to go home now and see my dog.”
Asked what was next for him, Mr Johnston said: “Get my life back.
“Slowly be rebuilding my life, because I’ve lost everything over this last five years.”
During the trial, Mr Johnston described his lovemaking as “fast, energetic, maybe a bit passionate” but said he was never aggressive, always used a condom and that the sex was consensual.
The alleged offences happened a number of years after he shot to fame as a choirboy on the ITV show, Maryam Syed KC, prosecuting, told the jury previously.
Ms Syed said Mr Johnston, of Carlisle, Cumbria, had been “engaging in consensual sexual activity” with one of the women, but he allegedly removed his condom, and she “repeatedly told Mr Johnston to stop” but he did not.
The other woman told police she engaged in consensual sex with the singer and asked him to use a condom.
The woman said she started to feel his hands around her neck and “no matter how many times she removed them”, he kept putting his hands back around her throat, Ms Syed said.
He then stopped and removed the condom, then carried on with the sex, it was alleged.
The singer, who was born in Dumfries, Scotland, but moved when he was about eight months old, released an album that went to number four in the UK charts and appeared on tour with other Britain’s Got Talent finalists.
Johnston’s mother originally entered him on the ITV show where he impressed judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden with his version of Pie Jesu and Eric Clapton’s Tears In Heaven.
He came third and went on to sign a contract with Cowell.
The early stardom stopped as his voice changed, prompting him to make a shift and sing in a lower range, Johnston told his trial.
