Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish have given evidence as defence witnesses at the sexual assault trial of actor Kevin Spacey.
The Hollywood actor – famed for his roles in American Beauty, Baby Driver, House Of Cards and more – is on trial accused of 12 sexual offences against four men between 2001 and 2013 including sexual assault and indecent assault. The 63-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all accusations.
Now, while on trial following the allegations, music icon Elton John has been called as a defence witness and given evidence to the court.
Sir Elton and his partner were called to share their recollections about Spacey’s attendance at a 2001 party hosted by the musician and Furnish at the latter’s home in Windsor. This is because Spacey is alleged to have sexually assaulted a man while he was driving to the event.
The actor denies going to the party in the year that the prosecution claims the assault took place.
Appearing over a video link from Monaco yesterday (July 17), Sir Elton was asked by prosecutor Christine Agnew KC if he had a recollection of Spacey at the White Tie and Tiara Ball, to which he said he did.
“Yes, he came in white tie, and he came straight from a private jet. Yes, I don’t think he’d wear white tie otherwise,” he said (via Sky News).
He added that Spacey bought a Mini Cooper at an auction held that night for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and stayed overnight at his husband’s Windsor home, although he was unable to “remember him coming down after that”.
Furnish also appeared on the video link to provide his recollection of the 2001 event and said that he remembered Spacey attending because “as an Oscar-winning actor, there was a lot of excitement he was at the ball”.
Furnish told Southwark Crown Court that he had checked photographs taken of all the guests and believes that Spacey had only attended that one year.
Spacey denies three counts of indecent assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. Other charges he denies include four further charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
The trial continues.
Last month, the actor said he is ready to make a comeback if cleared of the charges.
“It’s a time in which a lot of people are very afraid that if they support me, they will be cancelled,” he said in an interview with Zeitmagazin.
“But I know that there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London. The second that happens, they’re ready to move forward.”
The post Elton John gives evidence in Kevin Spacey’s sex offence trial appeared first on NME.
