Dr Luke has spoken out for the first time on allegations that he drugged and sexually abused pop star Kesha.

“I didn’t rape Kesha and I have never had sex with her,” the producer wrote on Twitter yesterday (Feb 22), following a court’s decision last Friday to deny Kesha a preliminary injunction that would end her contract with her former manager. “Kesha and I were friends for many years and she was like my little sister.”

“It’s a shame that there's so much speculation out there basing itself on so little information,” he continued. “The only truly objective person who knows the facts is the judge. The judge did not rule in Kesha’s favour on Friday.”

The series of tweets follows a statement made by the producer’s lawyer, Christine Lepera, earlier on Monday. “Kesha is already ‘free’ to record and release music without working with Dr Luke as a producer if she doesn’t want to,” said Lepera. “Any claim that she isn’t ‘free’ is a myth.”

Outrage continues to sweep across social media over the ongoing court case, with a host of celebrities (including Taylor Swift, who donated $250,000 to the singer) speaking out in solidarity with Kesha.

View a selection of Dr Luke’s tweets below