Kevin Spacey Found Not Guilty of Sexual Offenses by U.K. Court

LONDON—Actor Kevin Spacey was found not guilty of sexual assault against four men by a U.K. court, closing the chapter on a series of sexual misconduct trials that have dogged the two-time Oscar winner for years.

Spacey was cleared of all the allegations against him involving the British men between 2001 and 2013, according to an official at Southwark Crown Court.

In a statement outside the court, Spacey said that he was humbled by the verdict. “There’s a lot for me to process after what has just happened today. But I would like to say that I’m enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts, carefully, before they reached their decision,” Spacey said.

The period in question covered his time as artistic director of the Old Vic, a 200-year-old London theater, between 2003 and 2015.

Spacey, 63, had pleaded not guilty to all charges, ranging from indecent assault and sexual assault to causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The verdict brings to an end a closely-followed four-week trial, in which both sides focused heavily on Spacey’s star power and name recognition. Spacey’s lawyer depicted the actor as the victim of a “trial by social media.” Christine Agnew, the lead prosecutor, argued that the actor had abused his celebrity status to prey on young men.

The trial featured testimony from singer Elton John and his husband David Furnish. One of the accusers alleged that Spacey had assaulted him on the way to one of the couple’s white-tie galas in 2004 or 2005. John and Furnish said via video link that Spacey hadn’t attended such an event during those years.

Write to Humza Jilani at [email protected]