Hollywood star, Kevin Spacey performed a s3x act on sleeping victim, groped driver, and ‘laughed’ after se3ually assaulting man backstage at theatre as he pursued ‘se3ually aggressive thrills’, according to prosecutors in his se3ual assault trial.
The Oscar-winning actor, who denies 12 sex offences, was described at Southwark Crown Court as a ‘sexual bully’ who enjoys making people feel ‘powerless and uncomfortable’.
The alleged victims described Spacey as being very ‘touchy-feely’ and ‘someone who spoke quite openly about his sexuality’
In one incident, a victim fell asleep after drinking and smoking cannabis with Spacey, and awoke to find the actor sexually assaulting him, it was said.
Prosecutor Christine Agnew, KC, said: ‘He awoke some hours later with his belt intact but his button and zip were down. Kevin Spacey Fowler was next to him on his knees performing a sex act.’
On another occasion, the actor is accused of assaulting a man backstage when he ‘grabbed his penis with such force it was painful’.
‘Star-struck’ victims were afraid to come forward fearing they would not be believed because of his fame, jurors heard.
The prosecutor said of one complainant: ‘Kevin Spacey Fowler was a star, a golden boy as he (the victim) put it.
‘He wasn’t sure he would be believed and even if he had been he didn’t think that he would receive any support.’
M Agnew told jurors that the first complainant was a driver aged between 30 and 34.
‘Unusually the defendant would normally sit in the front passenger’s seat of the car,’ Ms Agnew said.
‘When he started driving him (the complainant) recalls that he was very ”touchy feely” and someone who spoke quite openly about his sexuality.’
‘(The complainant) found this unusual – it was not the normal sort of conversation he would have with a passenger or client.
‘(The complainant) describes himself as being a ”man’s man” and as feeling uncomfortable and awkward when he was required to be around Kevin Spacey Fowler because of his sexualised behaviour.’
Ms Agnew continued: ‘Over time the inappropriate and unwelcome touching became more intense and progressed to Mr Spacey Fowler stoking [the complainant’s] leg and rubbing his neck.
‘This behaviour escalated to occasions when Kevin Spacey Fowler would actually grab and grope [the complainant] in an aggressive way.’
Ms. Agnew said the first complainant went to police in 2022. She added that it may be that Spacey got a ‘sexual thrill out of this type of sexual aggression’.
Jurors went on to hear about the second complainant who sat near Spacey at the Haymarket Theatre in 2005.
The complainant, who was around 28 years old at the time, recalls the actor asking if they had ‘f***ed’, the court heard.
Ms Agnew said the complainant was ‘shocked’ and initially ignored the remarks before Spacey put his hand on his leg.
During a further interaction over an hour later, when the complainant was showing Spacey around backstage, Spacey allegedly ‘grabbed his penis with such force it was painful’.
Ms. Agnew added that Spacey ‘simply laughed’ after the complainant pushed him away.
‘Star-struck’ victims were afraid to come forward fearing they would not be believed because of his fame, jurors heard.
The court went on to hear about a third complainant who met Spacey a couple of times ‘briefly’ while he acted in a play at the Old Vic Theatre.
In 2008, the complainant, having moved to London after finishing drama school, wrote to Spacey ‘seeking his assistance with mentoring’, jurors heard.
The court was told Spacey rang him a few weeks later and they met that evening, ending up in the actor’s apartment. Ms. Agnew said: ‘During conversation (the complainant) thanked him for the part in the play at which Mr Spacey Fowler opened his arms to hug him.
‘(The complainant) did not move to hug him back as he thought it was a ‘bit weird’, so Kevin Spacey Fowler stretched forward, hugged him around the waist and in doing so put his face into (the complainant’s) crotch.’
Jurors heard how the complainant moved away and later ‘fell asleep or passed out’, commenting afterwards that it was ‘unusual’ for him to ‘conk out’. The court heard the complainant woke up later to find Spacey performing oral sex on him.
‘Despite (the complainant) saying no he continued so (the complainant) pushed him off,’ the prosecutor said. Ms. Agnew added that Spacey told the complainant not to tell anyone what happened before the man went to a bus stop ‘where he sat and cried’.
The trial went on to hear about a fourth complainant who interacted with Spacey at a pub in a village west of Oxford in 2013.
The pair ended up at a nearby pub together with a group of people and, after closing time, Spacey invited the group back to where he was staying, the court heard.
Ms. Agnew said Spacey approached the complainant in the property and gave him a hug.
She went on: ‘Whilst doing this Kevin Spacey Fowler kissed his neck twice and said, ‘Be cool, be cool’ and then…grabbed [the complainant’s] crotch with his hand and squeezed.
‘(The complainant) pushed the defendant against a wall and said, ‘Sorry man I don’t bat for that team’. The defendant walked past him without saying anything.’
Jurors heard the complainant left the property in ‘a bit of a panicky state’.
Concluding her opening remarks to the jury, prosecutor Ms Agnew said Spacey had ‘abused the power and influence that his reputation and fame afforded him’.
She told the jury: ‘Four men, unknown it seems to each other all make serious sexual allegations against Kevin Spacey Fowler. Are they lying?
‘Have they decided to manufacture allegations against the defendant in order to benefit financially?
‘Is that why they’ve come forward – that will almost certainly be suggested to you by those representing the defendant.
‘Or is it the case, as we the prosecution suggest, that Mr Spacey Fowler abused the power and influence that his reputation and fame afforded him; taking advantage of his popularity and prominence, his illustriousness and influence. ‘Taking what and who he wanted when he wanted.’
Opening the trial, Ms Agnew called Spacey a ‘sexual bully’.
She said: ‘Kevin Spacey Fowler is an actor; many of you will know that. He is an extremely famous actor who has won a number of awards. He has starred in many movies and television serials
‘He is also, the prosecution allege a man who sexually assaults other men. A man who does not respect personal boundaries or space, a man who it would seem delights in making others feel powerless and uncomfortable – a sexual bully.
‘His preferred method of assault is it appears to grab aggressively other men in the crotch.’
As wide-eyed jurors glanced at the famous actor sitting in the dock, the prosecutor told them not to be ‘star struck’.
‘It is only right that you might feel a little star struck or overwhelmed that you are part of the jury to try such a famous person but…you must keep yourself grounded and true to the oath that you have taken.’ she said.
Dressed in a grey suit, the 63-year-old defendant glanced at the floor as the case was opened.
After the prosecution presented their evidence, Patrick Gibbs KC, for Spacey, gave a short opening speech to the jury.
He said that the actor has come back to the UK to answer allegations with ‘what actually happened’.
‘Mr Spacey…has come back to the UK as he said he would to answer them and say in full in due course what actually happened as he would say it,’ Mr Gibbs said.
He added: ‘What has been reimagined with a sinister spin? What has been made up or twisted? And why and when because all of those things that are alleged against him happened…a long time ago.’
He suggested to the jury that some of what they will hear has been ‘deliberately exaggerated’.
The barrister went on: ‘Mr Spacey was rich and influential.’
He added: ‘What did they want from his wealth and from his influence and what do they still want do you think?’
Mr Gibbs also suggested to the jury trying Spacey that they will hear ‘many damned lies’.
He said: ‘You will soon hear I suggest some truths, you will soon hear some half-truths, you will also hear I suggest…some deliberate exaggerations and you will hear many damned lies.’
Earlier, Spacey arrived smiling at court around 8.45am in time to grab a cup of coffee in the foyer before he headed for courtroom 2 for the start of his month-long trial.
The veteran actor stands accused of carrying out 12 sex attacks on four men dating back 22 years when he was working as artistic director at the Old Vic theatre in London.
He has been charged with three counts of indecent assault, seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and one allegation of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent between 2001 and 2013.
He pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges at a hearing in January
The former House of Cards star started his career as a theatre actor in the 1980s, before rising to fame in hit films including Glengarry Glen Ross, Se7en, Horrible Bosses, and LA Confidential.
He won his first Academy Award for a supporting turn in The Usual Suspects, and got a Best Actor Oscar in 1999 for his role in American Beauty.
Spacey took up his post at the Old Vic in 2003, and made his Shakespeare debut two years later with the lead role in Richard II.
He drew big names to the London theatre, including Jeff Goldblum, Sam Mendes, Colm Meaney, and Neve Cambell, and he was awarded an honorary knighthood shortly after his tenure as artistic director ended in 2015.
When the actor was charged in May 2022 following a long-running investigation by the Metropolitan Police, he released a statement saying: ‘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.
‘While I am disappointed with their decision to move forward, I will voluntarily appear in the UK as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges, which I am confident will prove my innocence.’
The trial continues.
