An aspiring actor broke down as he recounted how Hollywood star Kevin Spacey performed a sex act on him, a UK jury heard Monday.
The award-winning actor, 63, is on trial in London accused of a string of sexual offences against four men dating back more than 20 years.
The fourth of Spacey’s alleged victims, none of whom can be named for legal reasons, said he had been warned that the star liked “young straight men”.
But he said he did not know at that point that he was a “predator”.
The prosecution in the case alleges that Spacey, a two-time Oscar winner, was a “sexual bully” who delighted in making others uncomfortable.
Three other men have recounted how the star groped them repeatedly, even when they asked him to stop.
In a police interview played to the court, the fourth complainant said he was left in tears when he rejected the star’s advances at the actor’s flat.
– ‘Incredibly weird’ –
He told a police officer he had not left when Spacey had put his head in his crotch because of the actor’s reputation and status.
“You just don’t want to annoy someone who’s that powerful in the business you’re trying to break into,” he said.
“The social sway he had was massive,” he added, stressing that nothing that happened was consensual.
The pair met up after the complainant wrote a letter to him asking for help, and was surprised when he invited him for a beer.
They shared pizza and smoked cannabis together before Spacey made advances, which he described as “incredibly weird” and left him nervous.
He recalled how he fell asleep, only to wake up about four or five hours later with his zip undone and Spacey performing a sex act.
When he said “no”, Spacey stopped and asked him to leave, he added.
“He said I shouldn’t talk to anyone about what had happened,” he told the officer.
Spacey, an Academy Award winner for “The Usual Suspects” and “American Beauty”, was artistic director of London‘s Old Vic theatre from 2004 to 2015.
He has denied three counts of indecent assault, seven counts of sexual assault and one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.
He has also pleaded not guilty to one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
The offences are said to have occurred between 2001 and 2013.
Spacey’s lawyer said some of what the jury will hear has been “deliberately exaggerated” or “damned lies”, suggesting the complainants were motivated by money.
