Armie Hammer: US actor will not be charged with sexual assault

US actor Armie Hammer will not be charged over allegations of sexual assault, prosecutors have confirmed.

The Social Network star was accused two years ago of raping a woman in Los Angeles in 2017.

It was also alleged the 36-year-old sent a string of explicit messages on social media.

Hammer said he is "very grateful" to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, following its decision not to charge him.

He said he was looking forward to "beginning what will be a long, difficult process of putting my life back together now that my name is cleared".

The actor, who has also appeared in Call My By Your Name, Rebecca and Death On The Nile, had denied all criminal allegations against him.

On Wednesday, the district attorney's office said prosecutors had conducted an "extremely thorough review" into the allegations, but that there was "insufficient evidence" to charge Hammer.

Tiffiny Blacknell, director of the bureau of communications, said: "Sexual assault cases are often difficult to prove, which is why we assign our most experienced prosecutors to review them.

"In this case, those prosecutors conducted an extremely thorough review, but determined that at this time, there is insufficient evidence to charge Mr Hammer with a crime."

She continued: "As prosecutors, we have an ethical responsibility to only charge cases that we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt. We know that it is hard for women to report sexual assault.

"Even when we cannot move forward with a prosecution, our victim service representatives will be available to those who seek our victim support services.

"Due to the complexity of the relationship and inability to prove a non-consensual, forcible sexual encounter we are unable to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt."

Following the announcement, Hammer wrote on Instagram: "I am very grateful to the District Attorney for conducting a thorough investigation and coming to the conclusion that I have stood by this entire time, that no crime was committed.

"I look forward to beginning what will be a long, difficult process of putting my life back together now that my name is cleared."

In the caption he added: "I would like to say a very special thank you to all of the people who have helped me get through this time. Onwards and upwards."

Following the initial allegation controversy, Hammer stepped down from his starring role opposite Jennifer Lopez in comedy film Shotgun Wedding, and was replaced by Josh Duhamel.

He was also replaced by Miles Teller in the TV series The Offer, a drama about the making of The Godfather.

Hammer married US TV personality Elizabeth Chambers in May 2010 and the pair share two children.

In September, a three-part Discovery+ series titled House Of Hammer, produced by the actor's aunt Casey Hammer, showed on-camera interviews with two of Hammer's alleged victims in which they detailed some of their alleged abuse.