Kevin Spacey has been accused of coming out as gay to “excuse” and avoid “taking responsibility” for his alleged inappropriate sexual behaviour.
Kevin Spacey has been accused of coming out as gay to ‘excuse’ and avoid ‘taking responsibility’ for his alleged inappropriate sexual behaviour
The Oscar-winning actor, 63, is on trial facing 12 charges of sexual assault, and London’s Southwark Crown Court this week heard he was “hiding in plain sight” when he made a series of “vile” remarks before grabbing a man’s private parts “with force” at a central London theatre in the mid-2000s.
The court also heard one complainant felt “degraded” and “belittled” after the alleged incident.
During cross-examination, the man – who is not being named for legal reasons – said he felt compelled to come forward after the rise of the MeToo movement.
Giving evidence from behind a screen, the man added hearing other victims of sexual abuse go public with stories about being subjected to inappropriate sexual behaviour made him “feel worse”.
He added he felt as if he’d “let myself down and other people down” as he had “allowed myself to be treated in a way that no one should”.
The man remarked about ‘The Usual Suspects’ star Spacey coming out as gay in 2017: “I thought it was really disappointing he wasn’t taking responsibility. It was very disappointing that someone was using their sexuality to excuse their bad behaviour.”
Spacey revealed this sexuality around the time he faced allegations of unwanted sexual advances in the US, which the actor denied – as he does all charges he is currently facing.
The court has been told of an alleged backstage sexual assault in which Spacey is said to have grabbed the man’s penis “like a cobra”.
Spacey’s alleged victim said: “It was painful. The grip was quite strong.”
When Spacey’s defence lawyer Patrick Gibbs KC told the man: “My suggestion is that it simply didn’t happen at all and it doesn't make sense,” the complainant replied: “No, it doesn’t make sense that someone would do that to another person.”
Spacey is denying seven charges of sexual assault, three of indecent assault, one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and one of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity.
The trial continues on Monday (10.07.23) and is expected to last another three weeks.
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