UK Drops Indecent Assault Charges Against Harvey Weinstein

The UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has dropped two indecent assault charges against Harvey Weinstein due to a lack of realistic prospect of conviction. The decision followed a review of evidence related to alleged assaults from 1996, involving a now mid-50s woman.

The UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has officially dropped two indecent assault charges against Harvey Weinstein, citing an 'unrealistic prospect of conviction.' The move follows a decision by the CPS, which reviewed the evidence and concluded that continuing the case was no longer viable, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Back in June 2022, the CPS had authorized charges against Weinstein for alleged assaults dating back to 1996. The alleged victim, now in her mid-50s, accused Weinstein of indecent behavior.

On Thursday, the CPS announced that the charges would be dropped. Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS' special crime and counterterrorism division, explained, 'Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein. The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction,' Ferguson said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ferguson stressed the CPS's commitment to prosecuting sexual assault cases when the legal criteria are met, stating, 'We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.' Once a prominent Hollywood producer, Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence following a 2020 rape conviction in New York, although that conviction was overturned earlier this year.

A new trial date has been tentatively set with jury selection slated to begin on November 12, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Weinstein was also found guilty of sexual assault in Los Angeles in 2022 on three counts related to former Russian model Evgeniya Chernyshova.

He has since filed an appeal against the 16-year prison sentence in that case. Weinstein's downfall has seen numerous allegations of sexual misconduct from over 100 industry professionals, accusing him of rape and abuse dating as far back as the 1970s.

The CPS's special crime division, known for handling complex and sensitive cases, made the decision to drop charges. Weinstein was also stripped of his honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2020, awarded for his contributions to the British film industry, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

(With inputs from agencies.)