A Kent star of ITV's The Voice has hit out at online trolls he says have made fictitious claims against him.

James Okulaja, who is a finalist in the hit singing show, has defended himself in a social media statement.

KentOnline has decided not to report what the claims are.

The 18-year-old says the matter is now in the hands of his legal representative.

And the Gillingham musician believes they were timed to coincide with his performance on last Sunday's show.

The rapper and TikTok star is an advocate for anti-bullying and uses his own experiences to inspire his music.

He said: "I've been dealing with bullying for a long time from a specific group of people, which has now escalated to cyber bullying.

"They are making fictitious claims about me and attempting to present those claims as fact. They are not. They are untrue, and extremely hurtful.

"I'm taking this extremely seriously. I have reported it to the police who will be making contact with the individuals concerned. My school is also investigating the matter.

"To all of those individuals involved, this is harassment and libel and is in the hands of my lawyer.

"This goes to show how damaging bullying can be. My personal information has been made public. I have received undeserved hate attacks for it."

The Rainham Mark Grammar School pupil added: "Cyber bullying is not just words on a screen, it is incredibly harmful. It can ruin lives. It's a very real issue for young people, particularly on social media.

"I have first-hand experience of people like this who take it to the extreme just to be unkind and that's why I will always continue to champion anti-bullying."

Police spokesman Andy Saunders said: "We are aware of allegations relating to possible malicious communication and hate crime offences, involving a victim from the Medway area. Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances."

James and Rainham Mark have been approached for further comment.

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