|
Spacey is accused of five offences in Britain - four counts of
sexual assault by touching, and a more serious charge of causing
a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without
consent. Prosecutors say Spacey forced a man to have oral sex.
Speaking clearly, the 62-year-old American actor and producer,
whose name was given as Kevin Spacey Fowler, said "not guilty"
when each of the charges were put to him at London's Old Bailey
central criminal court.
Wearing glasses and a light blue suit, he sat impassively in the
dock during the 20-minute hearing as a trial date of June 6 next
year was agreed.
"Thank you my Lord," he told the judge at the end of the
hearing. He has been granted unconditional bail.
If found guilty of sexual assault, Spacey could face a six-month
prison sentence or an unlimited fine, while the more serious
offence carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
Police said the alleged assaults occurred between March 2005 and
April 2013 - four in the British capital and one in
Gloucestershire, in the west of England. They involved one man
who is now in his 40s and two men now in their 30s.
Once one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Spacey has largely
disappeared from public view since being accused of sexual
misconduct five years ago.
The 62-year-old, who won Oscars for best actor in "American
Beauty" and best supporting actor in "The Usual Suspects", was
dropped from the TV show "House of Cards" and removed from the
movie "All the Money in the World" after the accusations came to
light.
(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and
Alex Richardson)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
