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Updated at 3pm
BRITISH POLICE ARE investigating a claim of sexual assault against Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey, The Sun has reported.
Scotland Yard said it was looking into a complaint made over an incident in south London in 2008, but the Met Police told TheJournal.ie that it does not identify any person subject to an investigation unless they have been charged.
“On 1 November, City of London police referred an allegation of sexual assault to the Metropolitan police service,” a Scotland Yard spokesman told UK media outlets.
“It is alleged a man assaulted another man in 2008 in Lambeth. Officers from the child abuse and sexual offences command are investigating.”
The incident occurred near The Old Vic theatre, where Spacey was artistic director from 2004 to 2015, according to The Sun.
Meanwhile, former workers at The Old Vic told The Guardian newspaper that the London theatre ignored allegations of groping and inappropriate sexual behaviour.
“We were all involved in keeping it quiet. I witnessed him groping men many times in all sorts of different situations,” one said, on condition of anonymity.
The two-time Oscar winner “was taking advantage of the fact that he is this great icon.
He touched men on the crotch. Doing it really fast so they couldn’t get out of the way.
The thing that really upsets me is the hypocrisy of places like The Old Vic that pretend now that they didn’t know.
Rebecca Gooden, an intern at the theatre in 2010, said there were regular stories about Spacey’s behaviour.
She told The Guardian it was a “running joke” that “pretty” young men were not hired to work in theatre administration.
“I was informed that I was not allowed to talk about it outside the theatre. I am honestly sickened that the theatre has chosen to plead ignorance,” she said.
Axed
Elsewhere, Spacey has been dropped by a Hollywood talent agency as well as his publicist in the wake of sexual assault allegations made against him.
CAA, which has represented the actor for over a decade, as well as publicist Staci Wolfe are now distancing himself from the House of Cards star who has been accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in the 80s.
CNN is reporting that eight current or former House of Cards workers claim that Kevin Spacey made the production a “toxic” workplace and one ex-employee alleges the actor sexually assaulted him.
The workers’ identities were withheld from because they fear professional fallout. Among them is a former production assistant who alleged that Spacey assaulted him during one of the Netflix show’s early seasons.
The report accuses Spacey of allegedly targeted staffers who were typically young and male with nonconsensual touching and crude comments.
Netflix and Spacey’s publicist didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
The fallout stems from last weekend’s BuzzFeed News report in which actor Anthony Rapp said that Spacey attempted to seduce him in 1986, when Rapp was 14.
Spacey apologised earlier this week for the incident but said he didn’t recall what might have been “drunken behaviour”. In a statement Wednesday, Spacey’s publicist said he’s seeking unspecified treatment.
Emmy Awards
It was also reported earlier today that Spacey will now not receive an international Emmy award following the allegations.
The Emmys confirmed the news in a statement published on its website last night.
Spacey was supposed to receive the International Emmy Founders Award next month. It was announced back in August that Spacey would be recognised as “one of the great multi-dimensional talents” who “crosses cultural boundaries to touch humanity”.
The statement read: “The International Academy has announced today that in light of recent events it will not honor Kevin Spacey with the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award.”
Spacey was accused by Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp of making a sexual advance on him at a party in 1986.
At the time Rapp was just 14 years old, while Spacey was 26.
With reporting by Associated Press and Hayley Halpin.
Apologise and then spit in the victims families faces by asking for a retrial. Piece of shi!t.
Wouldn’t you appeal if you got a death sentence, regardless of circumstance? You cannot possibly expect someone as young as he is to just accept his fate and allow the state to kill him.
He could just appeal the sentence and not the conviction. But as already stated he is a piece of s(um. Another ‘jihadi’ who wants western style justice when caught but wants Sharia law for others.
He’ll not be dead soon enough.
Eoin what about the fate he inflicted on his victims? He knew what he was doing and he knew where he was doing it. America have the death sentence for lads like this, it’s not a secret.
@jane I totally agree with you, but i was making reference to the apology he made to them during his trial.
@Eoin If you go out and try and kill and injure as many people as you can, you know the outcome if you’re caught. Don’t apologise and then ask for a retrial. Take your punishment
I meant my comment for Eoin Byrne. Just noticed 2 eoins.
@ Jane There’s only one Eoin! ;)
Haha that what your mammy told you?
They don’t lie Jane!
That’s very true.
How many US soldiers face death penalty for war crimes committed.Waterbording, abu grain prison 500,000 deaths in Iraq as a result of war. Civilians were high percentage. Afghanistan 5000 a year average civilians killed. One Sargent killed 16 afghans but no death penalty here. it’s 1961 last time death penalty was given to us solider. This kid was wrong for what he did. But death penalty I don’t think so. US create kids like this they have no hope. poor and uneducated.
Both of them had been in college, so they were hardly uneducated.
Can any of you guys who gives a red thumb argue why it’s ok for US soldiers to kill civilians and not get death penalty and it’s ok to give death penalty to a Muslim. I think he should get life but not death penalty.
David. Soldiers kill on behalf of the State they represent. And only if they deliberately set out with the sole intention of killing non combatants can they be held personally responsible.
He and his brother did intend to murder innocents and were representing no state but a religion.
Yes they do kill on behalf of state. There has been thousands of murders committed by Us soliders Their sentences range from none to 20 years no death penalty since 1961 A few years a go a Us Sargent murdered 16 afghans and got 20 years.
The USA middle East policy is creating terrorism. Before 9/11 The USA sponsored bin laden to run a war for them. He turned on them. Since then a million or more have died mostly poor. All that million have family and friends that had no axe to grind before 9/11. Now the world is over run with fear of terrorism because of USA oil driven policy. If your going to kill this kid in name of justice. Then give Usa murdering soilder justice to. Personally I don’t think all this killing is working. USA is a revenge driven society and god for bid if you step on their toes.But when shoe is on the other foot they whinge like baby’s
And David the Prosecutors in the case of the Sergeant did ask for the Death Penalty in the Courts Marshall but it was the Judge Advocate that ruled against it. Just as the Judge in this case could have ruled out the Death Penalty if he had so wished.
And as for your claim the US sponsored Bin Laden to ” Run their war for them” we both know that is patently false. Remember the Wiki Leaks documents? They described Bin Laden and his followers as “minor bit players in the conflict” and of Bin Laden himself as “Someone of little importance. A Middle ranking money guy”. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of his Generalship as someone you claim was running the war.
point is he did not get death penalty and the kid did. Why can’t you understand this kids death will only add to USA problems. it will create more terrorism.
point taken he was one of many state sponsored warlord. like there budy sadam
He’s 21, not a ‘kid.’ He was fully aware of what he was doing & unrepentent, at least until he was found guilty.
David. His Death will no more impact world politics than would some ISIS cannon fodder in Iraq. Islamic extremists are going to hate the West no matter what we do. Our entire way of life is an anethma to them.
Your right it wont effect the bigger picture much put it will help to polarize things a little more. Daddy Bush went into the middle east and did what he had to do fair play. But baby bush went back in when rest of world said stay out but no puppy dog Blair and and baby bush went looking for more trouble based on lies. Fueling (excuse the pun) the extremists.If USA and the rest of the world spent as much money on help instead of bombs I don’t think their would be many I E D s waiting for them.But the guys making the bombs in the states are pulling the strings. When the black and tans were here they were not welcomed with open arms. They left we had a silly civil war and we came to our sinces. leave them alone to solve their own problems. No oil in Africa yanks wont do much helping out their. One of baby bush polices in Africa is letting USA drug companies do what they like. I agree to disagree but I think helping is better than shooting them dead.
make him pay for it himself, he is going to drag the families through the pain again and cause great expense to the state while doing so. Mass Murderers shouldn’t have any rights
He can demand away, doesn’t mean he should or will get it though.
This is a routine move by defense lawyers. They will probably raise the fact the trial was not conducted outside Boston.
Appeal away, this creep is going nowhere.
And so it begins. Appeal after appeal. Happy to kill for Allah but not so happy to die for Allah.
Hope he meets his 70 virgins soon!
This is just the first in a long line of legal blocks he will keep lodging in order to delay his excution. Each appeal and demand will be all legit. All to ensure his rights are being protected. In the meantime his victims and their families are denied justice.
I hope he dies slowly and painfully!
Well I think he should die, why do we – the civilised side of the world(I use the term loosely) always have to “do the right thing” try reform people show them kindness etc, those terrorists are maniacs… death sentence is perfect for them
just set a date for his anti terrorism jab and move on
This bombing took place in the past and the past is the past. It is time to move forward. These things happen in war. Perhaps this young man would like a future in politics. If he decides to choose such a path he will get plenty of support from you know who.
Tw@t
Tap,u are a knob.
I’m against the penalty but if it was me…and i was guilty i think i’d request it….death or life in a US prison….it’s a no-brainer!
fair comment
It would be very wrong to kill this poor kid with a lethal injection. ………………..way to quick.
inject him, televise it and dump his carcass in a lime pit
have your say