Kevin Spacey has denied using his power as a Hollywood A-lister to get people into bed - saying he tried to help others
But under cross examination he told the prosecutor he "definitely" misread the signs from one of the complainants but had consensual agreements with two others
In exchanges with prosecution barrister Christine Agnew KC, Spacey said the case against him was "weak"
The US actor denies 12 sex offences against four men between 2001 and 2013
On Thursday the House of Cards actor fought back tears as he said his world "exploded" when allegations first emerged against him in 2017
He said an aspiring actor's claims he drugged him and performed a sex act on him while asleep were false
All four accusers are entitled to lifelong anonymity under the law
Sam Hancock
Live reporter
We're going to end today's live coverage of the Kevin Spacey trial there, thanks for following along.
This page was edited and produced by myself and George Wright.
It was written by Helena Wilkinson, Charley Adams and Frankie McCamley from Southwark Crown Court - as well as Antoinette Radford from New Broadcasting House.
Helena Wilkinson
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
Kevin Spacey spent around three hours in the witness box today, his evidence tested by the prosecutor.
The actor projected his voice at times when denying the allegations and told the court he “definitely” misread the signs from one of the four male complainants - but had consensual agreements with two others.
Spacey, an Oscar winner, also denied drugging and performing a sex act on one of the complainants while he was asleep. Spacey said one of the allegations, that he grabbed a man’s crotch, was completely untrue.
The prosecutor suggested he had used his position of power and fame. The actor said he didn’t have a “power wand” that he waved in front of people’s faces whenever he wanted someone to go to bed with him.
He also admitted feeling “lonely” after becoming famous. Asked if he reached out to people sexually in order to ease the burden, he replied: “Welcome to life. Yes, yes I did”.
Spacey denies the charges and the trial continues.
Image source, Julia QuenzlerWe're going to bring you a final bit of analysis of the day's events shortly - including some of the key moments that came from that cross-examination.
Before then, here's a reminder of what Spacey has been accused of.
The Hollywood actor faces charges of 12 allegations of sexual offences. These include:
The allegations date from between 2001-2013.
As we've been reporting, Spacey denies all the charges.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
With that, the cross-examination of the second witness has finished. The prosecution chose to not ask her any questions.
Court has finished for the day and the judge has sent the jury home.
The trial of US actor Kevin Spacey will continue on Monday.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
Gibbs continues and asks the witness whether anyone grabbed her attention during the day of the event in question.
“No,” she answers, explaining that if she had she would have stepped in personally “to ascertain what was going on”.
She tells the jury she would have made sure she dealt with what was going on.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
The witness is now describing her responsibilities.
They were to make sure the actors knew where they needed to be, what the running order was and running backwards and forwards, she tells the jury.
Gibbs, for the defence, asks the witness if she noticed anything untoward on the night in question. "No," she answers.
She says it was her responsibility to make sure that nobody crossed any boundaries, referencing that there were a lot of famous people backstage and some inexperienced staff could become star struck.
The witness, who says she had worked with Spacey beforehand, tells the court he “treated me as much the way as he treated me before”.
She tells the court he looked “just like he always looked”.
Gibbs, for the defence, asks whether the actor smelt of drink.
“Absolutely not”, she says, adding that she would have noted that.
It was her role to have a duty of care to make sure things ran smoothly, she tells the court.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
We’re now hearing from a second witness - an actress and producer who was involved with the theatre event being discussed in court (and is detailed in our last few posts).
She tells the court she was in charge of greeting the actors and showing them where everything was.
“I was in charge of making sure they were looked after properly,” she says.
Gibbs, for the defence, asks the witness where she was during the day. “I was pretty much everywhere,” she replies.
Helena Wilkinson
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
Joe Harmston, witness for the defence, has now completed his evidence and another witness is being called.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
The defence has stopped questioning the witness and now it’s the prosecution’s turn.
He is asked about the “hectic” duties of the day. “Everyone’s working very hard,” Harmston tells the court.
Shauna Ritchie, for the prosecution, asks the witness to recall when he had to ask Spacey and his assistant to be quiet.
Harmston says he cannot “precisely” recall what they were saying, but “it was all to do with tasks that needed to be done”.
Frankie McCamley
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
Again we are hearing some of Kevin Spacey's famous friends and colleagues being mentioned, including the likes of Joan Collins and Dame Judy Dench.
The actor is looking relaxed sat in the dock, clearly enjoying the stories, nodding and smiling as the witness Joe Harmston tells them.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
The witness goes on to say that the day of the event being spoken about was the first time he met Spacey, and he has not seen him since - until today.
Harmston describes the actor as “extremely pleasant, very helpful” and in a “good mood”.
Spacey arrived with his assistant and they sat in the auditorium, says the witness, adding that he had to ask the actor to be quiet because he was giving lots of requests to his assistant.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
The witness is now describing how the event, which we mentioned in our last post, was run.
Actors started to arrive from midday, he says, adding that they all arrived at different times, as organised on the rehearsal timetable.
He tells the court that backstage space at the theatre in question "is very limited”.
By the middle of the afternoon there would have been dozens of people in dressing rooms, or in other spaces backstage, the witness adds.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
Defence barrister Patrick Gibbs KC asks the witness, the theatre director, about a one-off event he was involved with.
He says because of the nature of “putting everything together on the day… [events like this] have to be exceptionally carefully organised”.
The timetabling is down to the minute and things need to finish “exactly on time”, he adds.
Spacey, sat in the big glass dock, is leaning forward and listening to the witness.
Helena Wilkinson
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
Spacey is now back in the big glass dock, sitting back in a chair as he listens to the witness give evidence.
There is a dock officer in one corner.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
The defence has begun this afternoon’s proceedings by revealing the next witness, Joe Harmston.
He begins by telling the court he is a theatre director who has directed more than 100 productions across the world.
Charley Adams
Reporting from Southwark Crown Court
Everyone at the court has had a lunch break and proceedings are beginning again shortly.
Kevin Spacey has returned to the courtroom and the judge and jury are expected soon.
Stick with us as we bring you the latest.
Image source, Julia Quenzler / BBCThis morning Spacey finished giving evidence in the case against him.
He has denied 12 sex offences against four men between 2001 and 2013.
Here's a brief summary of what he said throughout the morning:
After the lunch break, two witnesses will be called by Spacey's barrister.
We've been hearing from various people in court today, so here's a quick breakdown of who's who.
Kevin Spacey is being cross-examined by prosecutors Christine Agnew KC and Shauna Ritchie.
His defence lawyer is Patrick Gibbs KC.
The judge is Justice Mark Wall.
We are mostly referring to them by their last names in our coverage.
Here's a reminder of what Spacey has been accused of.
The Hollywood actor faces charges of 12 allegations of sexual offences. These include:
The allegations date from between 2001-2013.
As we've been reporting, Spacey denies all the charges.
