Lily Allen says Warner Music failed to investigate her sexual assault complaint

Lily Allen said she was sexually assaulted by a music industry figure in 2016. Photo / Getty Images

Lily Allen has spoken out about a sexual assault allegation she claims her record label failed to investigate.

Allen told The Next Episode podcast she discussed the alleged 2016 attack with a Warner Music boss last year, but it is understood the man in question continues to work for the company, reports News.com.au.

The singer said while she hasn't reported the record label executive to police, she believes "most of the music industry knows who it is".

In a statement to BBC News, Warner Music maintained they take such matters "extremely seriously".

"We take accusations of sexual misconduct extremely seriously and investigate claims that are raised with us," a label spokesman said.

Recalling the night of the assault, Allen told The Next Episode she had been at a party with the unidentified male in the Caribbean.

"We got to my hotel. I couldn't find my room keys. So he was like, 'Well, why don't you sleep in my bed while I go and get the keys or whatever.' So I passed out in his bed.

"I woke up and he was in my bed naked slapping my bum."

She said she could feel him trying to have sex with her.

"I made a decision, I didn't want to go to the police. I didn't want to make a fuss and I wanted to keep it quiet.

"I remember thinking about his mum and how she would deal with the news that her son was a sexual predator and I was prioritising everybody else in this situation except for myself."

Allen explained that it was the #MeToo movement, when women started coming forward with allegations of sexual abuse within the film industry, that gave her the courage to first share her horrific experience in her book My Thoughts Exactly published last year.

Following the book's release, she said she met with Max Lousada, a chief executive at her record label, to make a more formal complaint in order to protect others in the industry.

She said she believed her alleged attacker worked with other young female artists, so she felt a certain responsibility to speak up.

"I would feel awful if I found out that somebody much younger and more vulnerable had had a similar experience that could have been prevented," she said.

"It's my responsibility just to let some people know that this incident happened," she said.

Warner Music said it was "appalled" by the allegations, adding: "We're very focused on enforcing our Code of Conduct and providing a safe and professional environment at all times."

Allen first signed with Warner in 2013, and is currently working on her last album for the label.