Disney executive suspended after child sex abuse claims
Disney Music executive John Heely is accused of sexually abusing two girls. Disney Music executive John Heely is accused of sexually abusing two girls.
A music executive at Disney, John Heely, has recently been suspended from work following the charges of alleged sexual misconduct with a child.
The 58-year-old director, who faces three counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child, allegedly sexually abused two girls about 10 years ago, reports News.com.au. He has been with Disney since 1981 and was reportedly suspended from work late Friday.
According to reports, the first girl was victimised at 15, while the other was between 11-15 years old.
In an interview to Variety, Disney’s spokesperson said, “Immediately upon learning of this situation tonight, he has been suspended without pay until the matter is resolved by the courts.”
However, Heely’s lawyer Robert Helfend denied all the charges against his client, saying, “He vehemently denies these allegations and we will be fighting until the end to clear his name.”
“It’s a shame, that’s all I’ve got to say,” he added. The charges follow his arrest on November 16. He also produced a series of Disney concerts around the world, such as Fantasia Live in Concert.
According to Variety, John Heely, who has been with Disney for more than three decades now, looks after the oversees licensing of the vast catalog of music for the company. He has also produced a series of Disney concerts around the world including the Fantasia Live in Concert. John, who is due back in court on January 10, will face an imprisonment up to 9 years if convicted.
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