Emmerdale star takes ‘leave’ to fight rape charge

TV star Ben Freeman will be rested from his role in Emmerdale after he was charged with raping a woman while on holiday in Barbados, a spokeswoman for the soap said yesterday.

The 26-year-old, who plays Scott Windsor in the ITV1 show, was arrested and charged with the rape of a 16-year-old British woman by police on the Caribbean island, on November 29.

An Emmerdale spokeswoman said Freeman, who returned to the UK on bail of £25,000, had asked for a leave of absence to fight the charge.

Freeman, of Leeds, West Yorkshire, will also stand down from all other engagements, including Soapstar Superstar.

An Emmerdale spokeswoman said: “Ben Freeman has asked for leave of absence from Emmerdale to enable him to fight the legal proceedings he is facing in Barbados.

“We agree it would be best to rest his character from the show until the matter is resolved.