The former ‘House of Cards’ actor, who previously was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault against three men, has ‘strenuously denied’ the allegations made against him.
AceShowbiz –Kevin Spacey has been granted unconditional bail at court on Thursday, June 16 after he was charged with four sexual offences against three men. The Oscar winner appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning, where he “strenuously denied” the allegations made against him.
The 62-year-old also did not enter pleas to four charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. At the end of the hearing, it was announced that he will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on July 14 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
Kevin was accused of two counts of sexual assault on a man, now in his 40s, in March 2005 in London. He also allegedly sexually assaulted a man, who is now in his 30s, in August 2008, also in London, and a separate count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent on the same man.
Kevin is also charged with a fourth count of sexual assault on another man, who is now in his 30s, in April 2013 in Gloucestershire, south west England. The actor was charged after an investigation was launched by the Met Police in 2017.
A spokesperson for the Met confirmed, “Kevin Spacey Fowler has been formally charged today with four counts of sexual assault against three men. He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.”
Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, Rosemary Ainslie, added, “The CPS has authorized criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men. He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.”
“The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation,” Rosemary stated. “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr. [Kevin] Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.”
Kevin was interviewed under caution by the Met in 2019 after a file was passed to the CPS in April 2021. The actor, who won the best actor Oscar for his role as frustrated husband Lester Burnham in 1999’s “American Beauty”, was not arrested, but spoke to officers about a series of accusations.
Kevin has strongly denied all allegations against him, telling “Good Morning America” last month he will defend himself against the charges. He said, “While I am disappointed with their decision to move forward, I will voluntarily appear in the U.K. as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges, which I am confident will prove my innocence.”
Kevin had not decided to travel to the U.K. voluntarily, formal extradition proceedings would have needed to be instigated to secure his return. A series of sexual assault allegations were first publicly made against him in October 2017 as the #MeToo movement grew, prompting the Met to begin investigations a month later.
Kevin has previously denied all allegations against him and had largely disappeared from public view since they were made. It was last year reported he was starting an acting comeback by taking a detective role in an Italian crime drama, about a man wrongly suspected of child abuse.
A trailer for his new film, “Peter Five Eight” launched at the Cannes film festival in May and was his first major role since abuse allegations against him emerged.
Kevin was stripped of an International Emmy Award in the wake of the allegations. His central character Frank Underwood on the Netflix series “House of Cards” was also killed off after he was axed from the show. London’s Old Vic theater, where Kevin was artistic director from 2004 to 2015, apologized after revealing it had received allegations of inappropriate behavior. Theater bosses said a “cult of personality” had contributed to the organization’s failings.
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