The Met is investigating Tim Westwood over sexual assault allegations

The Metropolitan Police are investigating complaints of sexual misconduct against former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood — some going as far back as 40 years.

Four accusations of alleged offences in London from 1982, 1985, 2010, and 2016 are being investigated by The Met's specialised crime section, a spokesperson told The Guardian.

This comes as BBC say that an independent inquiry led by a barrister is to be launched by the BBC into the allegations.

A statement from Scotland Yard on Thursday said: “Detectives from the Met’s Central Specialist Crime continue to investigate four reports relating to allegations of non-recent sexual offences allegedly committed by a man.

"The offences are alleged to have occurred in London in 1982, 1985, 2010 and 2016. There have been no arrests, inquiries continue.”

In the statement, there is no mention of Westwood, who was a DJ at BBC Radio 1 from 1994 to 2013.

The claims of sexual misbehaviour and predatory behaviour made by multiple women were revealed in April by a joint investigation by The Guardian and BBC News. Westwood, 64, later resigned from hosting his Capital Xtra programme.

The BBC has now said that they will begin an independent investigation, which is anticipated to last six months.

Westwood worked on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra since 1994 and remained in the company for over 20 years.

The DJ later joined Capital Xtra, owned by Global, after leaving the BBC. The BBC wants to add Westwood's other employers, MTV and Global to the investigation.

It will also look at whether Westwood's departure from the BBC in 2013 was influenced by concerns about his behaviour.

The claims have been strongly refuted by the DJ. Westwood's spokesman claimed in an April statement that there had never been any complaints about his inappropriate behaviour as alleged by the women and that neither the police nor "any other authority" had looked into the accusations.

In a U-turn, the BBC acknowledged in July that it had received six complaints of alleged harassment and sexual misconduct involving the DJ while he was an employee, some of which came after the initial Guardian/BBC News articles were published.

Also in July, a woman had accused Tim Westwood of being a “predator” and having sex with her on multiple occasions, starting when she was only 14 years old and he was in his 30s.

Aneesa Ahmed is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter