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Kevin Spacey含羞草研究社檚 accuser describes actor as a 含羞草研究社榮lippery, snaky含羞草研究社 predator in UK trial

The actor, who has homes in the U.S. and London, is free on bail
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Actor Kevin Spacey arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London, Friday, June 30, 2023. Spacey is going on trial on charges he sexually assaulted four men as long as two decades ago. The double-Oscar winner faces a dozen charges at Southwark Crown Court. Spacey pleads not guilty to all charges. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

One of actor Kevin Spacey 含羞草研究社榮 accusers described the Oscar-winner in court Monday as a 含羞草研究社渟lippery, snaky含羞草研究社 predator who good-looking, young men were warned to avoid.

The man, who worked with the American actor when he came to the Old Vic Theatre in London in the early 2000s, said Spacey told him he could introduce him to Hollywood stars. But the man said that word around the playhouse was that he should be careful around Spacey.

含羞草研究社淚t was well known he was up to no good,含羞草研究社 the man said in a video of his police interview played for jurors in Spacey含羞草研究社檚 sexual assault trial. 含羞草研究社淗e was almost right from the get-go grooming me.含羞草研究社

He said Spacey made him uncomfortable querying him about his sexuality, then became 含羞草研究社渢ouchy feely含羞草研究社 and graduated to aggressive groping when they were alone together.

The man, who cannot be identified under British law, likened Spacey to the villain he plays in the 1995 thriller 含羞草研究社淪e7en含羞草研究社 about a serial killer motivated by the seven deadly sins.

含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 a bit like that, a bit creepy,含羞草研究社 the man said in his police interview last year.

Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges involving four men for events that date from 2001 to 2013. The charges include sexual assault, indecent assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

He could go to prison if convicted, though Spacey told a German magazine that he expects he含羞草研究社檒l be offered work 含羞草研究社渢he moment I am cleared of these charges.含羞草研究社

The case expected to last four weeks continues Tuesday before a jury of nine men and three women in Southwark Crown Court.

Once one of the biggest actors of his generation, Spacey won an Academy Award for supporting actor in 含羞草研究社淭he Usual Suspects含羞草研究社 in 1995 and best actor Oscar for the 1999 movie 含羞草研究社淎merican Beauty.含羞草研究社 He含羞草研究社檚 also won awards for the stage and small screen.

His career dried up when sexual misconduct allegations against him arose as the #MeToo movement exploded. He was written off the Netflix political thriller 含羞草研究社淗ouse of Cards,含羞草研究社 and cut from the completed film 含羞草研究社淎ll the Money in the World.含羞草研究社

The actor, who has homes in the U.S. and London, is free on bail. He served as artistic director at the Old Vic from 2003 until 2015.

The man said he reacted with horror when Spacey made first contact by rubbing his neck early in their work relationship in the early 2000s.

含羞草研究社淭he first time that he touched me was just a massive shock,含羞草研究社 he testified. 含羞草研究社淚 just don含羞草研究社檛 like people含羞草研究社檚 hands on me.含羞草研究社

When he complained to a woman he worked for, she laughed it off and she said, 含羞草研究社淵ou can cope, you can handle it. We all know what he含羞草研究社檚 like,含羞草研究社 he said.

The man said he decided he 含羞草研究社渄idn含羞草研究社檛 want to upset the apple cart含羞草研究社 and got on with his job.

But as Spacey escalated to grabbing the man in the crotch and taking the man含羞草研究社檚 hand and using it to rub his own privates over the pants, he began to dread when Spacey would return to London.

Defense lawyer Patrick Gibbs on cross-examination suggested that the man, who was disguised in court behind a curtain, was confused by the touching and even got a thrill from it.

含羞草研究社淣othing happened between us. He was assaulting me,含羞草研究社 the man said. 含羞草研究社淚 was doing my job and he was the one touching me.含羞草研究社澓卟菅芯可鐧

Gibbs confronted the man with a photo he posted six years ago on social media of him and Spacey in which his arm appears to be around Spacey含羞草研究社檚 back.

含羞草研究社淒id it make you feel sick to stand there side by side?含羞草研究社 Gibbs asked.

The man said he used the image to promote his business.

含羞草研究社淎nyone who does social media would have killed for a picture like that,含羞草研究社 the man said.

He said the final straw for working with Spacey came on a day he was driving him to a celebrity-studded summer gala in 2004 or 2005 when the star violently gripped his crotch and he nearly ran off the road.

含羞草研究社淗e grabbed me really hard and it really hurt,含羞草研究社 he said. 含羞草研究社淚 pushed him against the door and said, 含羞草研究社楧on含羞草研究社檛 do that again or I will knock you out.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 such a turn on to me,含羞草研究社 he said Spacey replied. 含羞草研究社淵ou含羞草研究社檙e such a man.含羞草研究社

Gibbs, however, said that Spacey only attended that party once 含羞草研究社 three or four years earlier than the witness claimed.

The defense lawyer also showed jurors a snapshot the man had sent Spacey of himself as thanks for supporting him on a hike for charity in the Rocky Mountains of North America. The man had also kept a warm letter Spacey had written him after donating 5,000-pound ($6,350) for the trek.

The man said he told a few people in his life about his experience with Spacey, fearing it could affect his career. He said he decided to come forward last year, after Spacey had been charged with assaulting the three other alleged victims in the case.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 a big part of it,含羞草研究社 the man said. 含羞草研究社淪trength in numbers, isn含羞草研究社檛 it?含羞草研究社

含羞草研究社淥r is it that in 2022, you saw a bandwagon coming past and you decided to hop on board?含羞草研究社 Gibbs asked.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 not true at all,含羞草研究社 the man said.

Two decades later, the man said he has never overcome the shame he felt and cannot bring himself to view Spacey含羞草研究社檚 films or TV shows.

含羞草研究社淚 can含羞草研究社檛 stand watching the man. It makes me feel sick,含羞草研究社 the man said.

Brian Melley, The Associated Press

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