Alexander Westwood, a 24-year-old actor known for his roles in Netflix’s “Sex Education” and BBC’s “Doctors,” has been found guilty of 26 sex offenses against women and children, spanning a period from his tenth birthday to adulthood. The Wolverhampton Crown Court jury’s verdict paints a disturbing picture of a manipulative predator who exploited his position of authority and the aspirations of young actors to commit a series of heinous acts. Westwood’s offenses ranged from inappropriate touching and predatory behavior to rape and filming a minor naked without consent. The prosecution depicted him as a “supreme manipulator,” using his acting credentials and the vulnerable nature of his students to carry out his abuse.
Westwood’s predatory behavior manifested in various disturbing ways within the context of his acting classes. He forced students to perform Shakespeare naked, engaged them in inappropriate role-playing scenarios without clothing, and exploited the power dynamic inherent in the teacher-student relationship to coerce young actors into sexual acts. One particularly egregious instance involved filming a naked aspiring actress on his iPad and subsequently attempting to extort her family for £18,000 when she ceased attending his lessons after experiencing his abuse. This highlights the calculated and exploitative nature of Westwood’s actions, demonstrating a willingness to leverage his position for financial gain while inflicting emotional and psychological harm on his victims.
The trial revealed a pattern of abuse that began in Westwood’s childhood, with the first offense occurring on his tenth birthday, the earliest age at which criminal responsibility is recognized in the UK. This early
