Kevin Spacey to face civil trial in U.K. over sexual assault case

Kevin Spacey is set to face a civil trial in the U.K. over a sexual assault case.

The 64-year-old actor is set to stand trial in the U.K. after being sued by a British man who has accused him of sexual assault.

The man, who has not been identified for legal reasons, has claimed that Spacey sexually assaulted him in August 2008, adding that he has "suffered psychiatric damage and other financial loss" as a result of the alleged assault. The House of Cards actor has denied the allegations.

A trial date has not yet been set, but documents are expected to be exchanged early next year.

Spacey was charged in the U.K. in 2022 with nine sexual offences, including indecent assault and sexual assault, against four men between 2004 and 2013. The actor was subsequently acquitted of all charges in 2023.

One of those claimants separately sued Spacey in a civil case at the High Court in London in July 2022. Two years later, the man was granted "judgment in default" after Spacey's legal team failed to serve his defence in time.

At a hearing on Tuesday, the American Beauty's lawyer said it was a "genuine error" by Spacey's legal team.

Judge Jeremy Cook then agreed to overturn the judgment to ensure that "injustice is avoided". The judge noted that Spacey's lawyers had made a "serious and significant" error in failing to file his defence in time, adding, "In my view that error should not be visited upon the defendant."

According to Variety, he continued, "The interests of justice require the allegations go forward to trial and the judgment in default be lifted."

Tuesday's ruling comes a day after Channel 4 broadcast a documentary featuring testimony from several men who claimed to have witnessed Spacey behaving inappropriately. He denied the allegations in an interview with broadcaster Dan Wootton.