Kevin Spacey to ‘Voluntarily’ Appear in UK Court to Face Sexual Assault Charges

Kevin Spacey has been hit with new sexual assault charges, and the actor will “voluntarily” appear in a UK court to face the allegations. In a statement provided to Good Morning America, the actor 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.”

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.

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.

Most recently, in late 2021, Spacey suffered a major loss in one legal battle related to the claims against him. MRC, the production company behind House of Cards, filed a lawsuit against the actor over revenue it lost due to his abrupt firing, which they believed him to be responsible for due to the sexual misconduct allegations he faced from individuals on set. Deadline reported that a court awarded MRC $29.5 million in damages, as well as $1.4 million in attorneys fees.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.