Kevin Spacey Enters Plea to Sexual Assault Charges in London Court

Kevin Spacey has formally entered a plea to the sexual assault charges he’s facing in a London court. According to PEOPLE, the actor appeared in person and pleaded “not guilty” to multiple charges. A trial is set to begin June 6, 2023.

In late May, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that the former House of Cards star has been charged with four counts of sexual abuse against three different men. On Thursday, Rosemary Ainslie, the head of the CPS Special Crime Division, issued a statement on the charges, explaining, “The CPS has [authorized] criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men.” Ainslie continued, “He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.”

The statement concluded, “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr. Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.” According to the BBC, the Met Police received a series of complaints dated between 2005 and 2013. After an investigation, authorities determined there was sufficient evidence to charge the actor. Three of the complaints are related to alleged sexual abuse incidents in London, and one complaint is said to be related to an incident, or incidents, in Gloucestershire.

Following the charges, the former House of Cards star announced that he would “voluntarily” appear in the UK court to face the allegations. In a statement provided to Good Morning America, Spacey said, “I very much appreciate the Crown Prosecution Service’s statement in which they carefully reminded the media and the public that I am entitled to a fair trial, and innocent until proven otherwise.” He added, “While I am disappointed with their decision to move forward, I will voluntarily appear in the U.K. as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges, which I am confident will prove my innocence.”

Spacey has faced a number of sexual assault allegations over the past few years. He was fired from the award-winning House of Cards in 2017 after numerous reports of sexual assault and misconduct allegations against him surfaced. Many more claims emerged following his exit, with some resulting in court cases. Ultimately, most of the cases never went to trial or were thrown out.