Kevin Spacey pleads not guilty to sexual assault charges

By Chris Liakos and Niamh Kennedy, CNN

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey pleaded not guilty Thursday in a London court to four charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent, according to Britain’s PA Media news agency.

The “House of Cards” actor, 62, who appeared before the Old Bailey wearing a blue suit and tie, was formally charged in June with four counts of sexual assault against three men, alongside a fifth charge of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

Spacey’s last court appearance was on June 16 when he stated his name, date of birth and London address to deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram and heard the charges against him that were read out to the court.

The charges he faces include two counts of sexual assault against a man in London in 2005; a third count of sexual assault, also in London, against a different man in 2008; and a final count against a man in Gloucestershire, western England in 2013. The fifth charge of non-consensual penetrative activity also relates to the 2013 incident.

During Thursday’s hearing, the judge, Mr. Justice Wall, set a trial of three to four weeks, starting from June 6, 2023.

Spacey has won two Academy Awards for his roles in “The Usual Suspects” and “American Beauty,” and was artistic director of London’s Old Vic theater from 2003 to 2015.

He has also starred in the Netflix political series “House of Cards,” and returned to acting in the past year.

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