Kevin Spacey Found Not Guilty in Sex Offences Trial

Kevin Spacey has been found not guilty of all nine sex offences today, July 26, following a near-four week trial at London’s Southwark Crown Court.

As reported by the BBC, Spacey was cleared of seven charges of sexual assault and two charges of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

Prosecutors alleged the four complainants, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were left feeling “small, diminished, and worthless” by incidents which took place between 2001 and 2013.

Spacey’s legal team argued the complainants made allegations “for reasons which, ultimately, will only ever be known to themselves” and that Spacey — who is perhaps most famous for roles in American Beauty and House of Cards — was “tried by social media”.

Defence barrister Patrick Gibbs told jurors: “It’s not a crime to like sex, even if you’re famous, and it’s not a crime to have sex, even if you’re famous, and it’s not a crime to have casual sex. And it’s not a crime to have sex with someone of the same sex because it’s 2023 not 1823.”

Spacey was charged with multiple sexual assaults in May 2022 but vowed to clear his name, and cried in the dock as the not guilty verdicts were read out.

Image Credit: Chris J Ratcliffe / Stringer at Getty Images

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.