Kevin Spacey’s U.K. criminal problems became even more serious on November 16 when officials announced that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had authorized seven more counts against him — including more sexual-assault charges. The fallen House of Cards actor is already slated to go on trial in London this summer on five sexual-misconduct counts. The prosecutors’ announcement early Wednesday morning came several weeks after Spacey had a legal victory in the U.S. On October 20, a Manhattan civil jury cleared Spacey in actor Anthony Rapp’s sexual-misconduct case against him, finding that the Rent star did not prove, by a “preponderance of evidence,†that Spacey “touched a sexual or intimate part or parts of Mr. Rapp.â€Â Here’s what we know about the new developments in Spacey’s criminal case.
What are the charges in the U.K. against Kevin Spacey?
The seven new charges authorized by CPS against Spacey involve a “number of sexual assaults against one man†from 2001 to 2004, prosecutors said. The charges include three offenses of indecent assault, three offenses of sexual assault, and one offense of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said in a statement that the authorization to charge “follows a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.†A CPS spokesperson told the New York Times that officials would send Spacey details regarding the charges via mail. Then, Spacey must appear in a London courtroom to respond to the counts.
What were the charges Kevin Spacey already faced in England?
On May 26, 2022, CPS authorized five charges against Spacey for alleged sex crimes against three accusers. The authorized charges included four offenses of sexual assault and one offense of “causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.†The counts related to alleged incidents that happened separately, from March 2005 to April 2013, in London and Gloucestershire. Spacey entered a “not guilty†plea to these charges on June 14, 2022.
When news of impending charges was revealed last spring, it came at a particularly odd moment for Spacey. He was sitting in a Manhattan courtroom — one where the judge does not permit cell-phone use — for a hearing in the Rapp case when prosecutors made their announcement. During a break in the proceedings, Spacey was asked about the brand-new charges by a Vulture reporter, and it appeared that he and his team had been caught unaware by the developments.
How does today’s new sex-crime charges affect his upcoming criminal trial?
We still don’t know. Per the Times, it’s “unclear†whether the new charges are going to be weighed during his scheduled trial, which is supposed to start on June 6, 2023.
Has Kevin Spacey responded to the new charges?
Spacey’s attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, Spacey and his team have denied allegations of wrongdoing. When he appeared to face charges in London on June 16, 2022, attorney Patrick Gibbs reportedly said, “Mr. Spacey strenuously denies any and all criminality in this case.â€