Eric Weinberg: Scrubs producer and writer pleads not guilty to 18 counts of sexual assault

Eric Weinberg, who was an executive producer and writer on hit US comedy series Scrubs, has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault.

The 62-year-old was denied bail by a judge after appearing in court in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

He has been charged with 18 counts of sexual assault, all of which he denies.

Mr Weinberg is said to have "relied on his Hollywood credentials" to lure young women to photo shoots where he allegedly assaulted them.

The charges against him include six counts of sexual penetration by use of force and three counts of forcible rape.

They stem from alleged incidents involving five women between 2014 and 2019.

Set in a US hospital and starring Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke, Scrubs ran from 2001 to 2010, winning two primetime Emmy Awards.

Mr Weinberg's other TV work includes the US series Californication and Anger Management.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, he approached two separate women at public locations in 2014 and told them he was a photographer. He is accused of sexually assaulting them back at his house later.

The defendant is alleged to have brought another woman back to his home in 2017 where he is accused of sexually assaulting her.

Mr Weinberg is also accused of sexually assaulting two women in separate incidents in 2018 and 2019.

He is due to appear in court again on 15 November.