Kevin Spacey says he will go to UK to face sex crime charges

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey says he will "voluntarily appear" in Britain "as soon as can be arranged" to face sex crime charges.

The 62-year-old provided a statement to Good Morning America on Tuesday saying he was "confident" he could prove his innocence.

If Spacey does not voluntarily appear in the UK, British authorities plan to seek the actor's formal extradition from the US. Spacey can be formally charged only following his arrest in England or Wales.

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The actor faces four counts of sexual assault charges and one charge of "causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent."

"I very much appreciate the Crown Prosecution Service's statement in which they carefully reminded the media and the public that I am entitled to a fair trial, and innocent until proven otherwise," Good Morning America quoted a statement from the actor as saying.

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"While I am disappointed with their decision to move forward, I will voluntarily appear in the UK as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges, which I am confident will prove my innocence."

The decision to charge Spacey in Britain was authorised last week by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service, which has spent over a year reviewing a file passed to it by the Metropolitan Police.

"The CPS has authorised criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men," Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said.

"He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

"The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation. The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial."

Police said the alleged assaults had taken place between March 2005 and April 2013 — four in the capital and one in Gloucestershire. They involved one man who is now in his 40s and two men now in their 30s.

At least some of the charges are believed to stem from Spacey's time at the Old Vic theatre in London, where he served as artistic director from 2004-2015.

The charges are the latest in a series of legal battles both civil and criminal that Spacey has been fighting since allegations of his sexual assault and misconduct were first publicly laid in 2017 by Rent and Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp.

Rapp told Buzzfeed News that when he was 14 Spacey made a non-consensual sexual advance toward him at a party.

- Reported with Variety and Reuters.