Jury in Kevin Spacey sex offences trial sent out to consider verdicts
The jury in sex offences trail against Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey have been sent out of court to deliberate their verdict.
A group of men and women will decide the 63-year-old American Beauty actor - who stands accused of a string of offences.
Spacey has denied nine charges that are being brought against him - including the crime of sexual assault.
The actor is accused of committing the alleged crimes between 2001 and 2013 and has been on trial at Southwark Crown Court in London - the city in which he used to live while he was the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre from 2004 until mid-2015.
Mr Justice Mark Wall sent jurors out to consider their verdicts on Monday after weeks of hearing evidence as the court case has in session since 6 June.
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The trial is being held at Southwark Crown Court in London (BPM MEDIA)While in court, Spacey has faced four accusers who have given evidence, variously describing him as a “vile sexual predator”, “slippery” and “atrocious, despicable, disgusting”.
Jurors have been told of alleged ‘aggressive’ crotch grabs against three men, while a fourth complainant accused the defendant of having drugged him and performing a sex act on him while he was asleep at his flat.
Under questioning from Spacey’s lawyer, Patrick Gibbs KC, the men all denied either seeking financial gain, attempting to further their career or giving false accounts to the jury.
Rejecting the accusations against him, Spacey has branded the allegations as “madness” and a “stab in the back”, and told jurors he: “did not have a power wand that I waved in front of people’s faces whenever I wanted someone to go to bed with me”.
He denies seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
During the course of the trial, Sir Elton John was called to give evidence.
Reports earlier this month Sir Elton, who gave his name as “Elton Hercules John”, told the court that two-time Oscar winner Spacey had attended an annual charity ball at his house in Windsor, Berks, in 2001.
Sir Elton said the actor attended the party and stayed the night but said he could not remember him visiting the property after that.
One of the complainants alleges that Spacey grabbed his crotch so hard he cried out in a car on the way to one of the annual fundraising events in the early 2000s.
Asked by prosecutor Christine Agnew KC if he had a recollection of Spacey at the party, Sir Elton said: “Yes, because he arrived in a white tie. He was on a flight, he came on a private jet and he came straight to the ball.”
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On whether he came straight from the private jet, he added: “I assume so, yes, I don't think he would be wearing white tie on a commercial flight" - prompting Spacey to let out a laugh.
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