Indecent assault charges against disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein have been dropped by prosecutors in the UK.
The 72-year-old former movie producer, who is in jail in the US, was accused of crimes against a woman in London in 1996.
But the Crown Prosecution Service has now announced that the allegations are being withdrawn, as there is “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction”.
Announcing the decision, Frank Ferguson, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein.
“The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.
“We have explained our decision to all parties.
“We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.”
The charges against Weinstein were first announced in 2022, when he was in prison for convictions of rape and sexual assault in New York.
At the time, the CPS said charges had been authorised against Weinstein “following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.”
The shamed movie mogul never actually appeared in a UK court due to his ongoing legal battles in the US, and would likely have had to be extradited to Britain for a criminal case to start.
He was sentenced to 23 years in prison after his 2020 convictions in New York on five felony charges, and he was then found guilty in Los Angeles of rape and jailed for a further 16 years.
Weinstein’s downfall inspired the #MeToo movement, after dozens of women came forward to accuse him of harassment and abuse.
However his New York rape convictions were overturned on appeal in April this year due to errors made by the judge, with a retrial being ordered.
In the meantime, prosecutors in New York have said they are investigating further sexual abuse allegations levelled against Weinstein.
He is currently appealing the Los Angeles convictions, while a retrial in New York is expected to start in November.
