Kevin Spacey used decision to come out as gay to disguise behaviour, court told

By Josh Payne, PA Chief Reporter

An alleged victim of Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has accused the star of being “insensitive” after claiming his decision to come out as gay was used to “disguise” his behaviour, a court has heard.

The actor was allegedly “hiding in plain sight” as he directed a “machine gun” of vile sexual comments to the man in a West End theatre before degrading him by grabbing him in an intimate area, a court heard.

The alleged victim told Southwark Crown Court he felt “belittled” and “worthless” after the incident in the mid 2000s – telling a jury the alleged assault felt like it lasted an “eternity”.

The witness said he felt “incredulous that (Spacey) could be so insensitive” after claiming the actor’s decision to come out as gay was “somebody not taking ownership”.

Jurors previously heard how Spacey “smelt of booze” before grabbing the man “like a cobra” in the West End theatre.

Under cross-examination from the Hollywood star’s lawyer, Patrick Gibbs KC, the complainant described the alleged incident as “horrific” and that it made him feel “subhuman”.

As the man took to the witness box on Thursday, Mr Gibbs said: “I’m going to suggest there are quite a number of things that you told police that are completely untrue.

“Can I begin with your suggestion that Mr Spacey turned up smelling of booze?”

The alleged victim replied: “That was my impression and that’s what I smelt.”

Mr Gibbs continued: “Mr Spacey, you told the police, looked like he had been up all night.”

The witness said: “That was my opinion, he looked dishevelled and smelt of alcohol.”

After Mr Gibbs suggested that was “completely untrue”, the complainant replied: “You can suggest it but, with the greatest respect, you weren’t there.”

Spacey’s lawyer then said: “He was relaxed and friendly – to everyone he met.”

The alleged victim responded: “No. He may have been relaxed and friendly with people with status, he certainly wasn’t relaxed and friendly to me.

“All I can say is, his initial introduction we had, I found him to be stand-offish and rude.”

Mr Gibbs continued: “I’m not going to repeat all the words but you describe a relentless barrage of vile language coming from him to you. Do you stand by that?”

The witness answered: “Yes, 100%.”

After Mr Gibbs suggested that was untrue, the alleged victim replied: “With the greatest of respect, you weren’t there and I was and it was horrific.

“I have never had anyone speak to me like that, ever.”

Asked how it was possible nobody saw the “15-20 minutes” of alleged vile comments, the man said: “I think it’s the phrase, ‘hiding in plain sight’.

“It was like a machine gun, a torrent, and that’s all I can say – it went on and on and on.

“I have never had people speak to me that way and I felt so degraded.”

Speaking about how he felt after the alleged assault, the man said: “I was so shocked I just remember pausing and not knowing what to do.

Mr Gibbs continued: “That never happened either, did it?”

“It did,” the man replied.

The witness continued: “It felt like an eternity, a long time, it felt like everything was going slowly – it lasted, I would say, minutes.

“No one has the right to invade your space and touch you in that way – no one has the right to do that.”

He added: “It makes no sense that someone would do that to another human being. It absolutely did happen.”

The man told the jury he did not come forward earlier because it happened a period of time “way before Me Too” and that if he had made the claims, he would have been “seen as a troublemaker”.

Before concluding his evidence, the complainant said: “It was such a horrible thing, I stored it away in a box in my mind and tried not to think about it.

“I felt degraded and belittled – like I was worthless.

“The way he treated me – I felt subhuman. I felt completely powerless.”

Spacey, 63, has been described by the prosecution as a “sexual bully” as he stands trial accused of sex offences against four men between 2001 and 2013.

The defendant pleaded not guilty in January to three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

The two-time Academy Award winner also previously denied four further charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

The trial continues.