Elton John appeared via video conference on Monday as a defense witness in the trial of American actor Kevin Spacey, who was charged with sexual assault in London.
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Kevin Spacey, 63, who has been on trial since late June, pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of sexually assaulting four men between 2001 and 2013, including since 2004 when he was director of London’s Old Vic theatre.
A man accuses Kevin Spacey of sexually abusing him “in the early 2000s” while driving the actor to a charity gala at Elton John’s.
“He grabbed me so tight [les parties intimes] that I almost ran off the road,” the plaintiff explained during his interrogation.
“It was a sweet gesture […] and it was in my romantic spirit,” Mr. Spacey retorted Thursday, denying any “violent, aggressive” or “painful” behavior.
As a witness from Monaco, Elton John confirmed he remembers Kevin Spacey being present at this annual ball in Windsor, west London, in the early 2000s.
“He came with a white tie,” the singer said.
“He came by private jet and came straight to the ball,” added Elton John, adding that the actor slept at his house that night.
Elton John’s husband, David Furnish, also testified to Kevin Spacey’s presence at the social event: “He was an Oscar-winning actor, there was a lot of excitement that he was at the ball.”
Kevin Spacey, dressed in a gray suit and polka dot tie, listened to statements from the two men from London’s Crown Court.
Last week he flatly dismissed the charges, citing “amicable” relationships and denouncing the prosecutors’ “weak” case.
The actor’s trial is expected to last a month. He faces a life sentence.