Drum’n’bass artist DJ Sly – real name Paul Gellen – has been convicted of rape.
According to an official report from Essex Police (via Resident Advisor) Gellen, 43, sexually assaulted a woman in December 2019 before raping her again in March 2020. On both occasions the victim woke up with no recollection of what had taken place.
Gellen was arrested following the second assault and later charged with rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration. He denied the charges but was found guilty last Thursday (May 5) following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Gellen is due to be sentenced at the same Essex court on Wednesday, June 8.
In a statement Detective Constable Liv Howells said: “Paul Gellen is a sexual predator who saw the victim’s vulnerabilities as an opportunity. On both occasions she was not in a position to give consent and Gellen took advantage of this for his own sexual gratification.
“The absence of someone saying ‘no’ is not the same as them saying yes. I cannot stress enough the importance [of] consent in any situation where sex or sexual activity may take place.”
Howells continued: “I want to praise the victim for her strength and courage in coming forward to report what happened and through the investigation and trial. She has been through an unimaginable ordeal and I hope this result will help her to move forward.”
Gellen, who is a producer and DJ, has releases dating back to 2006. He launched Levels Records with Swifta in 2017.
dj sly is just one of many sexual predators who have been outed for sexual assault and still been booked – start fucking listening to victims, do better, get these creeps out of the scene.
— JAW-D DNB
(@jawd_dnb) May 10, 2022
Like, is no one going to say "This is wrong. We need to do better" ?
— Jack Workforce (@JackSpectrasoul) May 9, 2022
Various members of the drum’n’bass scene have spoken out on the verdict including former SpectraSoul member Jack Workforce, who’s also a record label owner and podcast host.
“Are we going to continue to pretend that we don’t have a problem with safe spaces for women in d&b (& clubland more broadly), when we’ve still got headline DJs being convicted of rape and sexual assault?” he wrote on Twitter.
“I’ve had a look to see if anyone’s said anything publicly – nothing. Like, is no one going to say ‘This is wrong. We need to do better’?”
Elsewhere, DJ JAW-D DNB tweeted: “DJ Sly is just one of many sexual predators who have been outed for sexual assault and still been booked – start fucking listening to victims, do better, get these creeps out of the scene.”
DJ, producer and radio presenter Sweetpea said: “Too many known rapists and abusers still out there getting gigs. There is a whole larger problem and conversation with how women are treated in the industry.
“Be disgusted and horrified by DJ Sly but also check your own crew, some of you continue to work with and alongside rapists.”
Be disgusted and horrified by DJ Sly but also check your own crew, some of you continue to work with and alongside rapists
— Sweetpea (@SweetpeaDnB) May 9, 2022
So DJ Sly been convicted of rape? Disgusting.
But rape is the brutal tip of a whole iceberg of shitty behaviour women have to deal with in dance music, from being belittled and sexualised, to groped and spiked.
We gotta do better.
— YBYB aka YA BWOI YUNG BINGLES (@SamBingaMusic) May 9, 2022
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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