Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon Forced To Rebut Sex Accusation

Simon Le Bon, lead singer with Duran Duran, has denied inappropriate sexual behaviour involving a fan in 1995.

The fan, Shereen Hariri, has claimed in a Facebook post, that Simon Le Bon ‘groped' her while signing autographs at a store in Los Angeles, where she worked at the time. The alleged event took place all of 22 years ago.

Simon Le Bon (pictuered left) has responded via Duran Duran's official Facebook page and is very clear in his denial of any wrongdoing whatsoever.

"The behaviour that Ms Hariri has accused me of,” he says, "would have been just as inappropriate and unacceptable to me then as it is today. But the allegation is simply untrue. When Ms Hariri first contacted me about her claim months ago, I proposed meeting with her in person, so I could set the record straight. Instead, she has decided to pursue this publicly. I have always been one who can admit to my mistakes and apologise for my failings. But I cannot apologise for something I did not do."

Also on Duran Duran's Facebook page, the band’s publicist and assistant Katy Krassner defended the singer.

"I was also at the in-store event in 1995," she says, "and I can tell you that what he is being accused of DID NOT happen. Simon was never out of my sight that entire day, as each of the people on the Duran Duran team were 'assigned' to a band member to help with the record signing. Apart from anything else, as any fan knows, these kinds of events are a whirlwind of quick handshakes and photo calls which literally last a matter of seconds. The idea that he sat there, right next to his band mates, in front of a bunch of cameras, reaching behind him to sexually assault someone that day is simply ludicrous."

There are increasing fears in legal circles, and among dissenting feminists, that the status which has been afforded social media as so called platforms is encouraging the dissemination of libels for which there is unlikely to be any remedy, as well-known individuals are accused of ancient historic actions, pushing the onus of ‘proof’ onto the person who is being accused.

Shereen Hariri has said that she is not seeking compensation but only an apology from Le Bon. However, that seems an unlikely outcome, given his clear and measured denial.

"I decided that time’s up,” she said on Facebook. "I’m not holding this secret any more. I want everyone to know what this man did to me. I hope he comes clean publicly. I hope he make amends to his wife and daughter."