Gossip Girl actor Ed Westwick denies raping a woman

Ed Westwick has strongly denied an actress's claim that he raped her.

Kristina Cohen posted on Facebook that the former Gossip Girl actor held her down and assaulted her at his home three years ago.

But the 30-year-old says he doesn't know her, and denies the attack.

"I do not know this woman. I have never forced myself in any manner, on any woman. I certainly have never committed rape," he tweeted.

Police in LA have announced that they're investigating a rape allegation made against Ed Westwick.

Los Angeles Police Department official Drake Madison told the AFP news agency that there was an "ongoing investigation" taking place.

Read Ed's Twitter post.

In her Facebook post on Monday, Kristina said she'd gone to Ed's house with her then boyfriend and was napping in his guest room.

"I was woken up abruptly by Ed on top of me.

"I told him to stop, but he was strong. I fought him off as hard as I could but he grabbed my face in his hands, shaking me," she wrote.

'I was paralysed, terrified. I couldn't speak, I could no longer move. He held me down and raped me."

A black and white photo of Kristina on her Instagram account.

Kristina has appeared in the series TV series Ladies Like Us.

The British actor (centre) with Gossip Girl co-stars Penn Badgley and Chace Crawford

She said she felt encouraged to tell about the alleged attack now because of the claims being made about others in Hollywood.

Newsbeat has contacted Ed Westwick's lawyer for further comment.

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