Harvey Weinstein: Scotland Yard probes 'sex assaults' on seven women

EXCLUSIVE: Met investigates a total of eleven allegations against Harvey Weinstein from the 1980s to 2015
Seven women have come forward as part of a Scotland Yard probe into sex assaults linked to Harvey Weinstein
Justin Davenport31 October 2017
WEST END FINAL

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A total of seven women have now made allegations to Scotland Yard of sexual assault by the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

The Met inquiry into claims that Weinstein assaulted women in Britain has been stepped up as more women have come forward, with the latest allegation relating to an assault in Westminster in 1994.

Detectives from the Met’s Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command are investigating the allegations under the codename Operation Kaguyak, it emerged today.

The inquiry is now focusing on 11 separate allegations of sexual assault ranging from the 1980s to 2015. Two of the latest claims are alleged to have taken place outside the UK.

The Met first launched an investigation in early October into claims of a sexual assault made by an actress now living in the Liverpool area.

British actress Lysette Anthony made public her allegation that she was raped by Weinstein when the film producer turned up at her house in London in the 1980s.

The Hollyoaks’ actress, 54, claims Weinstein first tried to assault her at his rented home in Chelsea before arriving at her own home.

The actress said the alleged attack happened when Weinstein, who knew Ms Anthony socially, went to her London home one morning and she answered the door in her dressing gown.

She said she tried to resist the heavily built Weinstein but was unable to fight him off and she said: ‘Finally I just gave up. At least I was able to stop him kissing me.”

Weinstein, 65, has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.

Lysette Anthony alleges she was raped by Weinstein in the 1980s
AFP/Getty Images

Scotland Yard has not named Weinstein but said a further four women came forward to make allegations of sexual assault in the last two weeks of October.

In a statement the force said that on October 20 it received an allegation that a man sexually assaulted a woman outside the jurisdiction of the UK in the early 1980s. The Met said it was passing the allegation to the local force.

Another claim was made by a woman on October 24 that she was assaulted in Westminster in the mid-1990s.

On October 26 the Met said it received allegations that the man sexually assaulted a woman outside the jurisdiction of the UK in 2012 and then in Westminster in 2013 and 2014.

Gwyneth Paltrow has accused Weinstein of sexual assault
Rex

On 28 October an allegation was received that the man sexually assaulted a woman in Westminster in 1994.

Police said no-one had been arrested.

The latest allegations emerged as an arrest warrant for drug possession was issued for actress Rose McGowan, one of dozens of women, including actresses Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow, who have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct.

In her first public comments since accusing Weinstein of rape, McGowan last night said she has been “silenced for 20 years” but would not remain quiet about sexual assault and harassment.

Several other actresses have accused the Oscar winner of raping them.

In a further development the New York Times reported new sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein, including incidents dating back to the 1970s and a financial settlement the paper says the producer reached with a dancer in the 2000s.

Weinstein was also banned for life from the Hollywood producers guild.

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