Kevin Spacey told man to ‘be cool’ as he kissed neck and grabbed him, court hears
Kevin Spacey told a man he met in a pub to “be cool, be cool” as he kissed his neck and grabbed his crotch just hours after meeting him, a court has heard.
The alleged victim told police officers that when he moved Spacey away, saying he “did not bat for that team”, the Hollywood actor appeared “panicked”.
Jurors heard evidence from the man’s police interview at Southwark Crown Court today ahead of the complainant giving evidence to the court on Wednesday. He will be the second accuser to answer questions during the trial.
Spacey, 63, is facing 12 sexual offence charges in relation to four men which allegedly took place between 2001 and 2013, all of which he vehemently denies.
Read more: Kevin Spacey trial – as it happens in court
An artist’s sketch of Kevin Spacey in court earlier in the trial. Pic: Elizabeth Cook/PA
In the second accuser’s police interview, the man said he met Spacey at a countryside pub and was later invited, with others, back to a property at which the actor was staying.
Here, he accidentally let Spacey’s dog out of a room, the court heard, and it was this that preceded the alleged sexual assault.
Accuser says Spacey looked ‘panicked’ when he moved him away
After telling the police officer conducting the interview that he apologised to the actor for the dog momentarily escaping, the complainant said: “At which point he came towards me in a huggy motion and said ‘don’t worry about it, it is cool, it is cool’.
“We did an awkward man hug as I call it – he hugged me, I did a sort of pat on the back type of thing. At that point he kissed my neck twice and grabbed my crotch. He said the words, ‘be cool, be cool’, twice.”
The man then told the officer that he put his arm between them to move Spacey away. “I said, ‘I am sorry man, I don’t bat for that team’,” the complainant said in his interview.
The alleged victim said that after he rejected Spacey, the star had an “immediate panicked look on his face” before he left the room.
The complainant told police he swiftly left the property and called his father to pick him up, becoming “teary”.
Asked how he felt about the alleged incident, he said it “shook” him and that it was “unwanted”. He added that he has since “stopped ever watching or purchasing anything [Spacey] had ever been involved in”.
However, “the next morning I… got on with things”, he told the officer.
Alleged incident became a ‘joke’ – which ‘helped’
The man said he became “quite open” with people about the alleged incident and began to feel that while it was an “aggressive come-on”, he had not been “harmed”.
He told the police officer that over time the alleged incident became more of an “anecdote” and a “running joke” among friends – that it was joked his “claim to fame” was that “the same hand that held an Oscar” had grabbed his crotch, the court heard.
The accuser told the officer that treating it in this way “helped”.
He also gave details of the events leading up to the alleged incident, saying Spacey had been drinking double Jack Daniels and Coke before driving about six people to the property he was staying at.
At the start of the interview, the man told the officer that he eventually called the non-emergency police number when he saw other allegations come out against Spacey in the news.
The charges against Spacey
On Tuesday, the court also heard evidence from the brother and two former partners of the first alleged victim, who all told jurors that the complainant had told them about alleged sexual assaults by Spacey, and said any such incidents would not have been consensual.
Spacey pleaded not guilty in July 2022 to four charges of sexual assault and one of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
In January this year, he pleaded not guilty to seven further charges – three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.
The trial continues – and jurors will hear from the second alleged victim tomorrow.
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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