Former JLS popstar Oritse Williams has been charged with raping a fan.

The 31-year-old pop star was arrested in December 2016 but has only now been officially charged with raping a 20-year-old waitress.

It's alleged that the rape occurred when he invited two women back to his hotel room after a gig promoting his then new solo album at Gorgeous club, Wolverhampton in December 2016.

One of his friends, Jamien Nagadhana, who was in the hotel room at the time of the alleged incident, has also been charged. But Nagadhana has been charged sexual assault and not rape, which the police described in a statement as "assault by penetration".

"We've charged two men with sexual offences after an allegation of rape at a Wolverhampton hotel in December 2016," a police spokesperson has confirmed.

"Oritse Williams, aged 31, from Croydon, London, has been charged with rape. Jamien Nagadhana, aged 31, from Hounslow, London, has been charged with assault by penetration."

Both men are now due to appear at Walsall and Aldridge Magistrates Court on 11 October.

The two victims "are massive JLS and Oritsé fans," a source told The Sun. “They agreed to go back to his hotel with him and a friend he was with."

Oritse Williams has previously denied the allegations. At the time of his arrest, his management company released the following statement: "All we wish to say at this time is that Oritse denies the allegations against him. The matter is in the hands of the police and it would be totally wrong for us to comment any further."

As a result of the incident, Williams stepped back from his charity work. Shortly after the story first emerged, he said at the time: "I had taken a conscious decision to avoid talking to the press about the matter whilst the police are conducting their investigation as I do not think it appropriate to do so.

"Unfortunately, the press speculation is likely to be unhelpful to the charities I work with and the decision I have taken is with their best interests in mind.

"It is unfair to everyone. I would ask that the press respect the privacy of everyone involved and their families at this time, and allow the police to continue with their work without further distraction."