Anthony Rapp

Kevin Spacey appeared in a New York court on Thursday to face an accusation by fellow actor Anthony Rapp that he was sexually abused by The Actor as a minor.

Star Trek : Discovery star Rapp, now 50, filed a complaint against Spacey in 2020, for advances and an alleged sexual assault at a party in Manhattan in 1986, when he was 14.

The House of Cards star, 63, has always denied the allegation.

Rapp is seeking $40m (£36m) in damages.

During opening arguments in the case, presided over by Judge Lewis Kaplan , Rapp's lawyer Peter Saghir told a jury of six men and Six Women that Spacey, then in his late 20s, committed " unacceptable" acts against his then-teenaged client, " intentionally to satisfy The Drive of his sexual desires".

The alleged assault, at Spacey's New York apartment, " never should have happened" Mr Saghir continued. " He was 14-years-old. "

Spacey, who went on to star in films like The Usual Suspects and American Beauty , has kept a fairly Low Profile since the allegation, which emerged in The Wake of the #MeToo movement, which highlighted widespread abuse in The Film industry.

Last month, Rapp spoke about his accusation in an interview with BuzzFeed News.

Spacey responded online, offering his " sincerest apology" to Rapp for any " deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour" saying he did not recall the alleged incident.

Rapp filed a civil lawsuit after a 2020 criminal charge of sexual assault was dismissed by a judge.

According to court documents, Rapp claims that during The Party 35 years ago, Spacey lifted him up and that his hand " grazed" his buttocks. He claims Spacey then placed him back down on a bed and " briefly placed his own clothed body partially beside and partially across" his own.

He told The Court there had been " no kissing, no undressing, no reaching under clothes, and no sexualised statements or innuendo, " during the alleged incident which lasted no More Than two minutes.

His lawyer said Spacey's behaviour was " wrong and frankly unacceptable. " " This Was not horseplay, " he added.

Spacey's own lawyer Jennifer Keller , however, told The Jury that such an assault " Never Happened at all".

She noted how down The Years , Rapp had " repeated the same false story [but] never repeated it to the police" arguing he had done so for " attention [and] sympathy" because he never became an international star.

Ms Keller previously told AFP in an email: " We look forward to his vindication by an impartial jury. "

The Trial is expected to last for Two Weeks , and, if found guilty, Spacey faces significant damages.

In August, a judge ordered Spacey to pay House of Cards producers $31m (£25. 5m) for the costs involved in removing him from the series following a string of allegations of sexual misconduct.

He appeared at the Old Bailey in London In July to " strenuously" deny allegations of sexual assault by three Other Men , dating back 17 years to when Spacey was artistic director at The Old Vic Theatre .

A trial will take place in June 2023, with a pre-hearing expected to take place early next Year .

Source of news: bbc.com