Tailgunner: Jara Solís details abuse allegations and challenges claims that the case was resolved

Guitarist Jara Solís has released a statement alleging sexual abuse and repeated abusive behaviour involving Tailgunner bassist Thomas Hewson. Her account sets out a chronology of her experiences and disputes the band’s public characterisation of the case as closed. Hewson has previously denied all wrongdoing.

Solís says their initial contact began in March 2025. She joined Tailgunner’s summer tour that June, during which she says the first incident of sexual abuse occurred. She describes further incidents and says she documented her experiences after returning home, later making those records available to the band.

According to her account, the abusive behaviour continued over the following months. She says she decided to stop seeing Hewson in December 2025 and subsequently joined Tailgunner as a stand-in guitarist for their early 2026 tour. She describes severe emotional distress during that period. After the tour, she began confiding in others before sending the band a detailed account of what she says had happened.

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Rhea Thompson’s departure and the band’s response

The statement identifies Solís as the person making these allegations, distinct from the circumstances surrounding guitarist Rhea Thompson’s departure. Solís says the only band member who ultimately supported her was dismissed, although she does not identify that person by name.

Thompson’s own public statement in May cited moral and ethical concerns. She said she had been replaced for upcoming shows despite not having formally resigned, after expressing that she was uncomfortable continuing under the circumstances. Guitar World reported her account at the time.

That month, Tailgunner announced that Hewson would step back while the allegations were addressed, stating that he denied wrongdoing. According to Solís, the band announced his return in July and presented the case as closed. Her document includes screenshots of comments from the band’s account describing him as “completely innocent”.

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What Solís says about the legal process

Solís disputes that this accurately reflected the legal position. She says her case in Spain was archived on 14 May because the authorities lacked jurisdiction over events that occurred in the UK. She subsequently travelled to Britain to report the allegations and provide a formal police statement.

According to Solís, no police investigation had begun when the July announcement was made. She explains that the legal process is now no longer progressing because she does not feel able to face its emotional and practical demands, including travelling abroad.

She also says authorities have informed her that Hewson remains recorded as a suspect. The Riff Collective has not independently verified the legal status of the case, and her statement does not establish that an investigation remains active. Her position is that her decision not to continue does not amount to a finding that the alleged events did not occur.

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Meanwhile, Tailgunner have continued performing, with summer appearances at European festivals including Download, Alcatraz and Dynamo Metalfest. Their schedule includes supporting Accept at London’s indigo at The O2 on 28 August, followed by further dates on Accept’s 50th anniversary tour from 19 November in Leipzig.

The Riff Collective has contacted Tailgunner to offer the band an opportunity to respond to Jara Solís’s statement. We are awaiting their comments and will update this article with any response.

Jara Solís’s full statement accompanies this article as a downloadable PDF.

The Riff Collective