Axl Rose attorney says ‘simply put, this incident never happened’ after lawsuit

An attorney for Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose has dismissed a sexual abuse and battery lawsuit as “fictional claims”.

The lawsuit was filed at the New York Supreme Court on Wednesday by actress and model Sheila Kennedy, who alleged Rose violently attacked her in a hotel room in 1989 which resulted in a diagnosis of “anxiety and depression”.

She said Rose used his “fame, status, and power” as a music star to “gain access to manipulate, control, and violently sexually assault” her, the lawsuit claims.

“Simply put, this incident never happened,” Alan Gutman, attorney for Rose said in a statement given to the PA news agency.

Mr Gutman continued: “Notably, these fictional claims were filed the day before the New York State filing deadline expires.

“Though he doesn’t deny the possibility of a fan photo taken in passing, Mr Rose has no recollection of ever meeting or speaking to the plaintiff, and has never heard about these fictional allegations prior to today.

“Mr Rose is confident this case will be resolved in his favour.”

The lawsuit claims as a result of the sexual abuse and assault, Ms Kennedy has suffered “severe emotional, physical, financial and psychological distress”.

It comes as the New York Adult Survivors Act is set to expire on Thursday.

It was a law passed last year which allows a temporary window for those who allege sexual assault to file past the state’s normal deadlines.

Rose, real name William Bruce Rose, led Guns N’ Roses to deliver a debut headline performance at Glastonbury festival this summer, featuring the original line-up of Slash and Duff McKagan – who reunited with the US rockers in 2015.

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