The Leeds band Hookworms have announced that they are splitting after allegations of sexual and mental abuse made against the band’s frontman, Matthew Johnson.

The five-piece posted a statement to the group’s Twitter account on 31 October stating that all upcoming shows had been cancelled and that they “can no longer continue as a band”.

Johnson then posted a statement to his personal Twitter account stating: “I deny, and always will deny, the allegations that were posted yesterday.”

On 30 October, Alanna McArdle – the former frontwoman of Welsh group Joanna Gruesome – posted a statement to Twitter on behalf of an alleged victim identified only as L, detailing the alleged “horrific abuse” that L suffered from Johnson during a relationship they had in 2016.

Johnson claimed that L had contacted him recently and asked him to “characterise some of my actions towards her as abusive to assist her, she said, with her ongoing recovery from historic sexual abuse that occurred prior to us knowing each other. I regret now accepting any blame. I felt pressured into disbelieving myself and also believed I was helping her. I offered her support in other ways so to read what she has told someone else about me is confusing and upsetting. More importantly, the picture painted of me yesterday is untrue.”

Johnson continued: “I have attempted in all of my work and private life to maintain good ethics.” McArdle replied to Johnson’s tweet calling him “a despicable liar”.

McArdle had described L as a “survivor of sexual and physical abuse”, a situation that Johnson allegedly mocked. “Over the course of numerous interactions he made jokes and the specific details of L’s past experience, joking about raping her, mutilating her body and punching her in the face,” McArdle claimed. “He sexually assaulted her, triggering her PTSD, and at the time remained unapologetic for his actions.”

McArdle alleged that in the two years following his and L’s relationship, Johnson had “pursued an emotionally abusive love-bombing campaign towards L in an attempt to reframe his actions”. She claimed that Johnson had recently texted L admitting to the alleged abuse. Johnson’s bandmates said they were previously unaware of these allegations.

Johnson is a well-known member of the UK independent music scene: Hookworms released three critically acclaimed albums, two via leading UK independent label Domino.

He has been open about his experiences with depression and has previously taken vocal stances against musicians who have been accused of abuse. McArdle cited Johnson’s politically progressive public stance as a motivation for sharing L’s allegations.