Kevin Spacey wins ruling in UK civil trial over sex assault claim

Last year Spacey was found not guilty of all charges of sexual assault against four men

Actor Kevin Spacey has successfully challenged a civil trial regarding an allegation of sexual assault against him.

The accuser claims he suffered "psychiatric damage and financial loss" due to an alleged assault in 2008.

The civil proceedings were halted after Spacey faced criminal charges - and subsequent acquittal - for several sexual offenses.

This development follows Spacey's denial of inappropriate behavior allegations featured in a Channel 4 documentary, Spacey Unmasked, which aired recently and included testimonies from multiple men.

Last year, Spacey was cleared of all charges related to sexual assault allegations spanning from 2001 to 2013.

One of the accusers, who remains anonymous per court order, had filed a separate civil lawsuit in July 2022. However, this lawsuit was paused pending the outcome of the criminal trial.

Earlier this year, the unknown claimant was granted a "judgment in default" by a judge after Spacey's legal team failed to respond to the lawsuit promptly. Spacey's lawyer, Adam Speker KC, argued in court that this was a genuine oversight and it would be unjust for the claimant to win without a trial, especially considering that his credibility was questioned during the criminal proceedings.

Judge Jeremy Cook reversed the default judgment against Spacey, citing the legal team's error and the need for fairness.

Spacey, who did not attend the hearing, spoke to Dan Wootton from GB News before the documentary aired, asserting his stance of defending himself against baseless accusations.

He said, "I take full responsibility for my past behavior, but I won't apologize to anyone who has fabricated stories about me or exaggerated incidents."