Kevin Spacey to face fresh sex offence charges in trial

Kevin Spacey has appeared at a court hearing in London, ahead of a trial where he is facing fresh sex offence charges.

The actor briefly attended the hearing via video link from the Middle East, and is accused of seven sexual offences against a man in the early 2000s.

He previously denied five allegations relating to three other men.

Sexual assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent are among the charges.

Court papers say the allegations include sexual touching, touching over clothing and Spacey forcing the complainant's hand against his privates over clothing.

Spacey had been expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court from the US but his "travel plans had changed", his barrister Patrick Gibbs KC, defending, said.

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring granted the application for him to appear by video-link. He said, "He would not have got here from the airport, would he, with the rail strike."

The seven charges, not read out at the hearing, include three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent between 2001 and 2004.

The Crown Prosecution Service said these charges follow a review of evidence gathered by London's Metropolitan Police.

Kevin Spacey appeared in court in London in July where he denied five other charges relating to allegations made by three men.

That trial is due to begin in June next year but there will be a preliminary hearing at Southwark Crown Court in January - where he expected to appear in person.

In October, a New York court dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit, brought by another actor, Anthony Rapp.

He said he was inappropriately touched at a party in 1986 when he was 14.

Mr Rapp had been seeking $40m (£33m) in damages - but after a three-week civil trial, a jury found that he had not proved his claim.