AFP
London (AFP) โ Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey is facing sexual assault charges in the UK, police and prosecutors said on Thursday, after a review of allegations against him.
The two-time Oscar winner for โThe Usual Suspectsโ and โAmerican Beautyโ was artistic director of The Old Vic theatre in London between 2004 and 2015.
Allegations against him first emerged in the wake of the #MeToo movement that saw numerous claims of sexual assault and harassment in the movie industry.
That prompted an investigation by Londonโs Metropolitan Police, and a review by The Old Vic of the 62-year-old Spaceyโs time in charge there.
The Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement that it had โauthorised criminal chargesโ against the actor โfor four counts of sexual assault against three menโ.
โHe has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent,โ said Rosemary Ainslie, from the service.
โThe charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation,โ added Ainslie, who heads the special crime division.
The Met said separately that the first two counts of sexual assault date from March 2005 in London, and concern the same man, who is now in his 40s.
The third is alleged to have happened in London in August 2008 against a man who is now in his 30s. The same man is alleged to be the victim of the separate charge.
The fourth sexual assault charge is alleged to have occurred in Gloucestershire, western England, in April 2013 against a third man, who is now in his 30s.
None of the alleged victims can be identified under English law.
The CPS and the police both referred to Spacey by his full name, Kevin Spacey Fowler.
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