Prosecution Makes Opening Arguments – Deadline

UPDATED WITH COMPLAINANT TESTIMONY 03.51 a.m. PT: Kevin Spacey has been labelled a “sexual bully” who “sexually assaults different males” and “delights in making others really feel powerless and uncomfortable” by the prosecutor opening the American Magnificence star’s trial. Spacey was variously accused this morning by complainants of waking as much as discover him performing oral intercourse on them and of “grabbing [the complainant’s] penis with such drive it was painful.”

Christine Agnew KC for the prosecution informed 12 jurors that Spacey’s most popular technique of assault is to “seize aggressively different males within the crotch” however that “on one event issues went additional than that.” The Oscar-winning Home of Playing cards and Se7en star denies the 12 costs towards him, together with sexual assault and indecent assault, alleged to have been dedicated between 2001 and 2013.

Agnew, who urged jurors to “preserve your self grounded” and keep away from turning into “star struck,” mentioned the jury over the following 4 weeks will hear from 4 males throughout the trial, all of their 20s or 30s, who attracted the eye of Spacey — who’s being tried below his actual identify, Kevin Spacey Fowler.

She mentioned: “Not one of the males needed to be touched by Kevin Spacey Fowler in a sexual method however he doesn’t appear to have cared very a lot for his or her emotions. He did what he needed to do for his personal private sexual gratification.”

“What does the defendant say in reply to those allegations?,” she added. “Properly, in relation to some he means that they’re fairly merely made up. In relation to others, he accepts that there was a sexual encounter between him and the opposite man however asserts that something that came about would have taken place with the consent of the opposite man.”

Agnew labelled Spacey a person who “sexually assaults different males, a person who doesn’t respect private boundaries or area, a person who it will appear delights in making others really feel powerless and uncomfortable, a sexual bully.”

Concluding her opening remarks to the jury, Agnew KC mentioned Spacey had “abused the facility and affect that his popularity and fame afforded him.”

“Grabbed [the complainant’s] penis with such drive it was painful”

Jurors have been informed in regards to the first complainant, who Spacey employed as a driver when he visited London. He was aged between 30 and 34 throughout the interval.

“Unusually the defendant would usually sit within the entrance passenger’s seat of the automobile,” mentioned Agnew. “When he began driving him [the complainant] recollects that he was very ‘sensitive feely’ and somebody who spoke fairly brazenly about his sexuality.”

The complainant, who Agnew mentioned describes himself as “a ‘man’s man’,” discovered this “uncommon” and felt “uncomfortable and awkward when he was required to be round Kevin Spacey Fowler due to his sexualised behaviour.”

Over time, Agnew mentioned, the “inappropriate and unwelcome touching turned extra intense and progressed to Mr Spacey stoking [the complainant’s] leg and rubbing his neck.” The conduct turned extra “aggressive” with Spacey escalating his actions to “seize and grope” the complainant.

The second complainant, who was round 28 on the time, recalled Spacey asking if that they had “f****ed” throughout an encounter on the Haymarket Theatre in London. Agnew mentioned Spacey had put his hand on the complainant’s leg. Later, Spacey “grabbed [the complainant’s] penis with such drive it was painful” whereas displaying him across the venue’s backstage.

Agnew added that Spacey “merely laughed” after the complainant pushed him away.

The third complainant mentioned he woke as much as discover Spacey performing oral intercourse on him after assembly within the actors’ house.

When Spacey went to hug him, “(The complainant) didn’t transfer to hug him again as he thought it was a ‘bit bizarre’, so Kevin Spacey Fowler stretched ahead, hugged him across the waist and in doing so put his face into (the complainant’s) crotch,” in keeping with Agnew.

Jurors heard how the complainant moved away and later “fell asleep or handed out”, commenting afterwards that it was “uncommon” for him to “conk out”. The court docket heard the complainant awoke later to seek out Spacey performing oral intercourse on him.

“Regardless of (the complainant) saying no he continued so (the complainant) pushed him off,” the prosecutor mentioned. Agnew added that Spacey informed the complainant to not inform anybody what occurred earlier than the person went to a bus cease “the place he sat and cried.”

The fourth complainant says Spacey kissed his neck twice and grabbed his crotch in a pub in a village close to Oxford in 2013, in keeping with Agnew. “(The complainant) pushed the defendant towards a wall and mentioned, ‘Sorry man I don’t bat for that staff’,” added the prosuector.

Spacey arrived at Southwark Crown Court docket in a taxi a few hours in the past wanting calm in photos equipped by the Press Affiliation. He’s more likely to seem on every day the trial sits throughout the subsequent 4 weeks however gained’t essentially take the stand.

In an preliminary court docket listening to at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket in June, Spacey’s lawyer, Patrick Gibbs QC, mentioned his shopper “strenuously denies any and all criminality on this case”. Chatting with ZEITmagazin earlier this month, Spacey mentioned “there are folks proper now who’re prepared to rent me the second I’m cleared of those costs in London.”

Earlier than the jury panel was chosen for the trial, Mr Justice Mark Wall informed potential jurors: “I’m certain the defendant might be gratified to know that lots of you’ll know his identify or have seen his movies.”

On Wednesday, the choose mentioned the case has “fairly clearly” attracted a number of media consideration, however that they “should keep away from this protection the place you possibly can”.

Spacey has an handle in Waterloo, south London, but additionally lives within the U.S., the place he has household and a canine.

The trial continues.