LONDON — British authorities on Wednesday announced plans to charge disgraced former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein with the assault of a woman in London in August 1996.
“Charges have been (authorized) against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation,” Rosemary Ainslie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, said Wednesday in a statement.
Officials did not immediately elaborate on the evidence reviewed.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial,” Ainslie said.
>> Related: Harvey Weinstein guilty of criminal sex act, 3rd-degree rape
Police said the charges stemmed from the assault of a woman who is now in her 50s between July 31 and Aug. 31, 1996.
Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison sentence in the U.S. after a New York jury found him guilty in February 2020 on charges including rape. He also faces sexual assault charges in California.
>> Related: Harvey Weinstein extradited to face sexual assault charges in California
Allegations of sexual abuse by Weinstein first surfaced in 2017, sparking the #MeToo movement.
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