Movie star Kevin Spacey is a “sexual bully” and a “predator” who took pleasure in groping a series of young men, a court has heard.
The 63-year-old double Oscar winner is accused of 12 charges of sexual misconduct against four men between 2001 and 2013.
Opening the case against him, prosecutor Christine Agnew KC told jurors not to be “starstruck” by the famous face in the dock.
“He is an extremely famous actor who has won a number of awards. He has starred in many movies and television serials”, she said. “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. On one occasion things went further than that.”
Spacey, wearing a light grey suit and golden tie, arrived at Southwark crown court at just before 8am on Friday morning, ahead of the opening speech by the prosecutor in his case.
Appearing under his full name Kevin Spacey Fowler, he has denied all the allegations he faces.
Ms Agnew said all four alleged victims “are not known to each other but who had the misfortune to attract the attention of the predatory Mr Spacey Fowler.
“None of the men wanted to be touched by Kevin Spacey Fowler in a sexual way but he doesn’t seem to have cared very much for their feelings – he did what he wanted to do – for his own personal sexual gratification.”
She said Spacey argues some of the allegations are “simply made up”, while other incidents were consensual sexual encounters.
The court also heard that some of the complainants in the case are suing Spacey in the civil courts.
One of the alleged victims says Spacey “smacked his backside”, forced his hand on to the actor’s genitals when they took a lift together, and repeatedly groped him during car journeys.
Ms Agnew said of the alleged lift incident: “Kevin Spacey Fowler had grabbed his hand, putting it on his own penis and rubbing it hard.”
The man “pulled his hand away saying ‘I don’t want to feel your knob’.”
The man says Spacey was “touchy feely” when they were in a car together, and “spoke quite openly about his sexuality”.
He says conversations left him feeling “uncomfortable and awkward”, and he complained of “inappropriate and unwelcome touching that became more intense”.
“It may well be that the defendant got a sexual thrill out of this type of sexual aggression”, said Ms Agnew.
Jurors heard theatre impresario Sally Greene allegedly “laughed off” allegations of sexual abuse made about Spacey.
The entrepreneur had been instrumental in bringing Spacey to the Old Vic theatre, where she was a founding member of the managing Trust.
Ms Agnew said one of the alleged victims “recalled that he had mentioned Kevin Spacey Fowler’s behaviour to Sally Greene at the time but she had simply laughed it off and told him not to worry about it.”
The actor and director has films including LA Confidential, Superman Returns, and Baby Driver in his back catalogue, together with Oscar wins for The Usual Suspects and American Beauty.
In 2003, Spacey became the artistic director at The Old Vic theatre in London, a role he stayed in for 12 years.
He was awarded an honorary knighthood in 2015, shortly after ending his tenure at the theatre.
He went on to star in the acclaimed TV series House of Cards, but was dropped from the final season after allegations of sexual misconduct first came to light.
Spacey, who has a home in Waterloo, was charged in May 2022 following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
He has pleaded not guilty to 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.
The trial continues.
