Harvey Weinstein to Face Indecent Assault Charges in U.K.

The charges from the Crown Prosecution Services stem from a woman’s accusations about an August 1996 incident

harvey weinstein
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Harvey Weinstein is set to be charged with two counts of indecent assault against a woman stemming from an event in August 1996 via the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Services.

“The CPS has authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge Harvey Weinstein with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in August 1996. Charges have been authorized against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation,” Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said in a statement. “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.”

The CPS adds that its function is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offense, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider.

The former movie mogul Weinstein is serving a 23-year sentence and is currently in a Los Angeles prison awaiting trial on 11 more sex crimes. He has pleaded not guilty in the Los Angeles trial, where he will face up to 140 years based on sexual misconduct charges involving five women between 2004 and 2013. The trial is meant to begin in September.

The CPS, which deals with the most complex and sensitive cases in England and Wales including disasters, serious criminal allegations against police officers, corporate manslaughter and election offenses, also recently authorized charges against actor Kevin Spacey related to four counts of sexual assault.

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