A BRITAIN'S Got Talent finalist pinned down and raped two women while studying opera at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, a court heard.
Andrew Johnston, 30, is accused of grabbing the alleged victims by the throat during sex and refusing to wear a condom.
The former choirboy was 13 when he finished third on the second series of the ITV talent show in 2008.
Johnston received a £1million record deal with Simon Cowell's Syco Music record label and his album 'One Voice' made it to number five in the UK Chart.
The alleged offences happened a number of years later, Southwark Crown Court was told.
Maryam Syed, prosecuting, said: "In 2008, Mr Johnston competed as a singer in the television programme Britain's Got Talent, and he did quite well in that programme.
"At the time of the allegations Mr Johnston was a student at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London.
"Mr Johnston was competing a two year diploma in opera."
Jurors heard during the first alleged attack, Johnston removed a condom during sex – causing the complainant to beg him to stop.
But she claims Johnston just carried on and grabbed her throat while pinning her down.
He also allegedly "became more forceful" and slammed the headboard into the wall as the woman began "panicking".
Ms Syed said the woman had explained she "did not like certain things in sexual activity because of previous bad experiences and she specifically said things like hands around the throat".
The court heard when Johnston bumped into the woman while out at a bar, he groped her bottom and refused to leave.
He then grabbed her by the shoulders and verbally abused her before "forcibly" kissing the woman, it was said.
Jurors were told the second alleged victim was attacked three months later after Johnston took her to a "sex club" in London.
She told the singer to wear a condom, which he later removed during intercourse.
Ms Syed said: "She described how she started to feel the defendant's hands around her neck, and no matter how many times she removed them, she said the defendant Mr Johnston kept on putting his hands back around her throat.
"She made, she told police, multiple attempts to remove his hands but he did not remove them."
Johnston, of Carlisle, denies two charges of rape and sexual assault.
The trial continues.
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