Simon Le Bon has denied sexually assaulting a fan in 1995. Shereen Hariri alleged that the Duran Duran singer groped her while signing autographs at the Los Angeles record store where she worked. She accused Le Bon of grabbing and “massaging” her “right butt cheek” and “making his way down my butt to my genitals”.

Le Bon has denied Hariri’s claims in a post on Duran Duran’s official Facebook page. “The behaviour that Ms Hariri has accused me of 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.”

Hariri’s lawyer told the Detroit Free Press that Le Bon had pulled out of a proposed meeting with Hariri, which prompted her going public. “We were within a hair’s breadth to do a sit-down with him,” said Sarah Prescott. “At first he was kind of, ‘Yes, well, maybe later.’ It was just not gonna happen. Her view was, ‘Let’s just let the sunlight in.’”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Duran Duran. Photograph: Rex Features

Hariri, 47, said that the incident left her “shocked and completely frozen”. She was “afraid of the consequences” of confronting the singer. “If I made a scene, I’d be in the press: The ‘Girl Who Accused Simon Le Bon’. I’d probably be fired, rejected, ignored, even hated.”

The release of the Access Hollywood tape in which Donald Trump bragged about using his fame to assault women spurred Hariri to change her mind. “I decided that time’s up. 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 daughters.” She clarified that she was not seeking compensation – the US statute of limitations for assault is two years – but an apology.



Le Bon’s assistant, Katy Krassner, said she was at the record store event and supported Le Bon’s denial in a comment posted beneath his statement. “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.”