Woman who accused Roy Moore of sexual assault sees home burn down in suspected arson attack

Sheriffs insist blaze has no connection to allegations of sexual assault made by Tina Johnson against unsuccessful Alabama senate candidate

The home of a woman accusing failed senate candidate Roy Moore of sexual assault has burned down in a suspected arson attack.

Tina Johnson, who made allegations the former judge “grabbed” her in his office during an incident in 1991, saw her home in Gadsden, Alabama, destroyed during a fire on Tuesday.

Etowah County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it was treating the incident as arson, but said investigations suggested the fire was not related to the Republican.

In a statement, Sheriff Todd Entrekin said: “The Etowah County Arson Task Force and Etowah County Sheriff’s investigators are looking into a recent house fire.

“Investigators are speaking to a person of interest. Warrants have not been obtained in this case.

“The ongoing investigation does not lead us to believe that the fire is in any way related to Roy Moore or allegations made against him.

“More details will be released when warrants are obtained.”

One neighbour, Kevin Tallant, told local news site AL.com he believed a young man seen walking around the house at the time of the incident was responsible for the blaze.

"He's been trouble in the neighbourhood for a while,” he added.

Ms Johnson is understood to now be living with her family in a motel.

A crowdfunding campaign, set up by former Barack Obama White House staffer, Katie Jacobs Stanton, has since raised more than $60,000 (£44,000) towards costs of rebuilding the home.

Mr Moore, 70, has yet to concede his senate defeat to Democratic rival Doug Jones in the Alabama special election on December 12 last year, despite calls from previous supporter, US President Donald Trump, to admit defeat.

His campaign to fill the US Senate seat left vacant by Attorney General Jeff Sessions was dogged by controversy, including numerous claims he sexually assaulted woman and young girls several decades ago while serving as a local prosecutor.

Mr Moore has repeatedly denied the allegations, dismissing them as an attempt by critics to undermine him.

Alabama voters ultimately chose to elect Mr Jones as the state’s first Democrat senator since 1992.