Kevin Spacey: Jurors told actor is a 'sexual bully' during sex assault trial

Kevin Spacey is simply a "sexual bully" who assaults different men, jurors person been told astatine the outset of his trial.

The American histrion is facing 12 charges successful a British trial, covering allegations made by 4 men stretching from 2001 to 2013.

He appeared astatine London's Southwark Crown Court connected Friday to perceive the archetypal time of evidence.

The 63-year-old denies each the allegations, which his lawyer said contained "many damned lies".

The American histrion spent sizeable clip successful the UK portion helium was employed arsenic the manager of the Old Vic theatre successful London betwixt 2004 and 2015.

Prosecutor Christine Agnew opened the trial, which is expected to past for a month, by mounting retired the allegations levelled astatine Mr Spacey, who was referred to by his afloat name, William Spacey Fowler.

Miss Agnew told jurors: "He is an highly celebrated histrion who has won a fig of awards. He is also, the prosecution allege, a antheral who sexually assaults different men.

"A antheral who does not respect idiosyncratic boundaries oregon space, a antheral who it would look delights successful making others consciousness powerless and uncomfortable, a intersexual bully."

She urged jurors to ore connected the grounds and not to consciousness "starstruck" oregon "overwhelmed" due to the fact that of the actor's fame.

Miss Agnew individually elaborate what the complainants - each men successful their 20s and 30s - allege happened erstwhile they met Mr Spacey. They are entitled to anonymity nether the law.

The archetypal complainant said that earlier the alleged assaults began, the histrion would talk "openly astir his sexuality" to him from the clip they met, which made him uncomfortable.

Over clip Mr Spacey began to interaction him inappropriately, the complainant alleged, with the interaction becoming "more intense" and escalating to occasions erstwhile helium would "grab and grope... successful an assertive way".

Miss Agnew alleged that Mr Spacey got a "sexual thrill retired of this benignant of intersexual aggression".

The 2nd complainant claimed Mr Spacey "simply laughed" erstwhile helium pushed the histrion distant aft being grabbed "with specified unit it was painful" astatine a enactment lawsuit successful 2005.

The authoritative said the 3rd complainant, who was the archetypal of the radical to study Mr Spacey to police, met the histrion astatine the Old Vic theatre and went to him seeking mentoring.

They went backmost to Mr Spacey's level aft drinking successful the pub together. When the complainant woke up, helium recovered the histrion was performing a enactment enactment connected him, the prosecution alleges.

He aboriginal said helium feared this was "just however radical successful the acting satellite acted" and "sat and cried" astatine a autobus halt astatine 5am pursuing the alleged incident.

In 2013, the 4th complainant met Mr Spacey successful an Oxfordshire pub helium worked in, and past saw the histrion aboriginal successful the evening successful different barroom helium had told the histrion helium would beryllium going to.

The complainant alleges Mr Spacey repeatedly touched his leg, and aboriginal told him to "be cool" erstwhile the histrion tried to buss his cervix aft a radical went backmost to wherever the histrion was staying.

When the brace were unsocial successful a room, Miss Agnew said Mr Spacey grabbed the complainant's crotch.

In January, Mr Spacey pleaded not blameworthy to 3 counts of indecent assault, 3 counts of intersexual battle and 1 number of causing a idiosyncratic to prosecute successful intersexual enactment without consent.

He besides antecedently denied 4 further charges of intersexual battle and 1 number of causing a idiosyncratic to prosecute successful penetrative intersexual enactment without consent.

Patrick Gibbs, who is defending Mr Spacey successful the trial, gave a abbreviated opening speech, telling the tribunal his lawsuit would "say successful afloat successful owed people what really happened".

He said the allegations happened "a agelong clip ago" and suggested elements had been "reimagined with a sinister spin", "made up oregon twisted" and "deliberately exaggerated".

Mr Gibbs added: "What did they privation from his wealthiness and from his power and what bash they inactive privation bash you think?"

He continued: "You volition soon perceive I suggest immoderate truths, you volition soon perceive immoderate half-truths, you volition besides perceive I suggest...some deliberate exaggerations and you volition perceive galore damned lies."

Mr Spacey has had a palmy vocation successful Hollywood spanning 4 decades, including winning 2 Oscars for American Beauty and The Usual Suspects, and starring successful the archetypal 5 bid of Netflix's House of Cards.

He was calved successful the US but served but continues to person a location successful London.

The proceedings continues adjacent week.