Two-time Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey, 63, is a “slippery, snakey, difficult person” and a “predator,” according to the account of one of his alleged victims who gave evidence to a London court on Monday at the Hollywood star’s sexual assault trial.
Members of the jury at Southwark Crown Court were shown footage from a police interview with a man, a driver who often transported the actor, who claims that he was assaulted more than ten times by Spacey.
“He grabbed me in private areas and then tried to get my hands on him,” the driver, who is one of four men who accused Spacey of committing sexual assaults in the UK between 2001 and 2013, told police. British law dictates that the identities of Spacey’s accusers are withheld.
The driver further alleged that Spacey would frequently attempt to assault him “any time when we became alone.” On one occasion he said that Spacey grabbed him in his crotch so aggressively that he almost “came off the road” while driving.
The accuser also told police that Spacey referred to his refusal to engage in sexual activity with him as a “turn-on,” and that he would laugh off or change the subject when confronted. He also described his belief that Spacey was “aggressive” and a “predator” towards him.
On Friday, the prosecution referred to Spacey as a “sexual bully” who had “abused the power and influence” of his fame.
Spacey has denied 12 charges against him, which include three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. He is likely to be issued with a custodial sentence if found guilty of the charges against him, but recently told a German magazine that he expects to receive film and television offers “the moment I am cleared of these charges.”
The actor spent large periods of time in the United Kingdom in his role as director of the Old Vic theater in south London between 2004 and 2015.
Spacey won Oscars for his roles in ‘The Usual Suspects’ and ‘American Beauty’ but has been largely blacklisted from Hollywood since soon after the allegations against him were made public.
The trial is expected to last for around four weeks.