A former aspiring actor has advised a court docket he believes he was drugged by “vile sexual predator” Kevin Spacey earlier than he allegedly woke to search out the Hollywood star performing a intercourse act on him at his London flat.
The man – the final of 4 complainants to offer proof in opposition to the double-Oscar winner throughout a trial at Southwark Crown Court in London – grew to become emotional as he recalled the alleged offence in a police interview performed to jurors, and later answered questions underneath cross-examination from behind a display in court docket.
The alleged sufferer stated that earlier than he fell asleep, Spacey “circled like a shark” – and described the alleged assault as “completely traumatic and life-ruining”.
Later, responding to defence lawyer Patrick Gibbs KC’s questions in regards to the complainant’s sexuality and whether or not he was confused about what occurred, he referred to as the questioning “reprehensible”.
“I was taken advantage of, I believe drugged, sexually assaulted,” the person advised the court docket.
Spacey, 63, denies 12 sexual offence fees – together with one cost of sexual assault and one cost of inflicting an individual to have interaction in penetrative sexual exercise, in relation to the fourth complainant.
Read extra: Latest developments from court docket as they occurred
Jurors heard how the aspiring actor wrote to the Hollywood star asking for mentorship and was “dumbstruck” to obtain a name a couple of weeks later suggesting they meet later that night.
He had been advised the American Beauty and The Usual Suspects actor appreciated “young, straight men” however didn’t know at this level that “he was a predator”, jurors heard.
In his police interview, the person – who can’t be named for authorized causes – stated the Hollywood star made him really feel “weirdly special” by asking him to satisfy for a beer. The alleged sufferer was “starstruck” and didn’t query his intentions, the court docket heard.
Giving particulars of the night time of the alleged sexual offence, the complainant stated he met Spacey in London at about 11pm and that they walked for about 10 minutes earlier than the actor invited him into his flat.
The man advised the officer he drank a few beers and smoked a part of a joint with Spacey. At some level, the House Of Cards star went to hug the person as they sat on the couch in the lounge space, after which rubbed his face into the complainant’s crotch, jurors heard.
The alleged sufferer stated he remembered trying on the “bald patch” on the again of Spacey’s head and pondering what was taking place was “one of the strangest moments of my life” – and one thing he would “never forget”.
Alleged sufferer ‘conked out’
The man advised police he was “very nervous” and felt “vulnerable” in the course of the alleged incident however he didn’t depart at this level.
He questioned his personal behaviour, whether or not he was being a “d***head” and if this was simply how some individuals behaved within the “theatre world”, jurors heard from his police interview.
He additionally didn’t need to “annoy” Spacey, the court docket was advised.
“You just don’t want to annoy someone who is that powerful in the business you are trying to break in to,” the person advised the police officer. “The social sway he had was massive.”
After about an hour on the flat, issues began to grow to be “hazy” and he “conked out”, the person advised the officer, saying this was “unusual”.
When he woke a couple of hours later, Spacey was kneeling on the ground, performing a intercourse act on him, it was alleged.
“Going to sleep isn’t something I would normally do – it is unusual in my behaviour just to conk out,” the complainant advised the officer.
“I remember four to five hours later waking up – my belt was still together but my button and my zip were down and he’s just performed [a sex act] on me.”
Spacey ‘extremely dismissive’
The alleged sufferer stated he advised Spacey “no” and “pushed” him off.
“My belt was still together but the rest of it was undone,” he advised the officer about his trousers. He was “massively in shock”, the court docket heard.
Spacey then stated it was “best” that he left and advised him to not inform anybody, the person claimed.
Becoming emotional in his police interview, the person stated he didn’t know the way lengthy the alleged intercourse offence went on for or precisely what occurred whereas he was asleep.
Spacey was “incredibly dismissive” afterwards, he added.
The complainant stated he later “completely buried” the alleged incident. Asked by the officer whether or not he considered reporting it to police earlier than he ultimately did, he stated he feared this might have affected his performing profession, and that he may need been “slammed” by a “hotshot” lawyer of Spacey’s.
“It’s David and Goliath,” he advised the police officer.
The man added that whereas “your gut tells you” that you’re not “unique” and there may need been others, he didn’t have the “confidence” to return ahead.
The alleged sufferer stated he ultimately discovered the boldness to report the incident when allegations have been first made in regards to the now disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017.
‘Nothing occurred that was consensual’
Under cross-examination from Spacey’s lawyer in court docket, the complainant answered questions on telephone calls on the night time of the alleged sexual offence. He denied a name after midnight, lasting 19 seconds, was Spacey calling him after he left the flat – sooner than his account of how lengthy he was there on the night time.
Mr Gibbs put it to the alleged sufferer that he had “upped and left” with none correct rationalization after “intimate contact” between the pair.
The man denied this. “Nothing happened that was consensual”, he stated.
Mr Gibbs later requested if the complainant questioned his sexuality after the alleged incident with the Hollywood actor. He denied this however stated the incident had been a “confusing thing to come to terms with”.
Asked about his sexuality and if his method of processing a consensual act may need been to say it occurred when he was asleep, the alleged sufferer stated he discovered the road of questioning “reprehensible”.
Mr Gibbs then requested what the complainant would consider somebody who engaged in a sexual act with somebody solely within the “hope of advancing their career”. The man stated this may be “abhorrent”.
He advised the court docket that if he was interested in males he could be blissful to discover this, however he is not. “The only time I have experienced something sexual with a man is when I was sexually assaulted by that vile sexual predator,” the person stated.
Spacey pleaded not responsible in July 2022 to 4 fees of sexual assault and one in all inflicting an individual to have interaction in penetrative sexual exercise with out consent.
In January this yr, he pleaded not responsible to seven additional fees – three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault, and one rely of inflicting an individual to have interaction in sexual exercise with out consent.
The trial continues.
Source: information.sky.com”