Harvey Weinstein is to be charged with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in London in 1996, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
British prosecutors on Wednesday said they had authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge the former Hollywood mogul following a review of evidence gathered by the force.
The reported victim is now in her 50s, the Met said.
Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS special crime division, said: “The CPS has authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Harvey Weinstein with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in August 1996.
“Charges have been authorised against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.
“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.”
The CPS did not provide further details.
The Met said in a statement that the two offences allegedly took place between July 31 and August 31, 1996, and added that its officers had “updated all those whose allegations formed part of this investigation”.
The announcement came two weeks after British prosecutors authorised police to charge actor Kevin Spacey with four counts of sexual assault against three men. The incidents reportedly took place in London between March 2005 and August 2008, and one in western England in April 2013.
Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison sentence in California after being convicted of two counts of sexual assault in February 2020.
Dozens of women began to come forward with allegations against the former titan of Hollywood in 2017, sparking the #MeToo movement.
The campaign demanded an end to sexual harassment, sexual abuse and rape culture and sought to let victims know they were not alone.
After details of Weinstein's crimes began to emerge, British police said they were investigating a number of allegations of sexual assault reportedly committed by the former producer in the UK over several decades.
Unlike many other countries, the UK does not have a statute of limitations for rape or sexual assault.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
MATCH INFO
Red Star Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight (Thursday), UAE
