Harvey Weinstein to be charged with sexual assault of woman in London

The 70-year-old film producer is accused of attacking a woman on two occasions in 1996

Harvey Weinstein is to be charged with two counts of sexual assault against a woman in London. Reuters

Harvey Weinstein is to be charged with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in London in 1996, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.

British prosecutors on Wednesday said they had authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge the former Hollywood mogul following a review of evidence gathered by the force.

The reported victim is now in her 50s, the Met said.

Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS special crime division, said: “The CPS has authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Harvey Weinstein with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in August 1996.

“Charges have been authorised against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.

“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 did not provide further details.

The Met said in a statement that the two offences allegedly took place between July 31 and August 31, 1996, and added that its officers had “updated all those whose allegations formed part of this investigation”.

The announcement came two weeks after British prosecutors authorised police to charge actor Kevin Spacey with four counts of sexual assault against three men. The incidents reportedly took place in London between March 2005 and August 2008, and one in western England in April 2013.

Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison sentence in California after being convicted of two counts of sexual assault in February 2020.

Dozens of women began to come forward with allegations against the former titan of Hollywood in 2017, sparking the #MeToo movement.

The campaign demanded an end to sexual harassment, sexual abuse and rape culture and sought to let victims know they were not alone.

After details of Weinstein's crimes began to emerge, British police said they were investigating a number of allegations of sexual assault reportedly committed by the former producer in the UK over several decades.

Unlike many other countries, the UK does not have a statute of limitations for rape or sexual assault.