Kevin Spacey appears remotely in U.K. court ahead of sex offences trial

LONDON –

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey appeared by videolink for a brief hearing at a London court on Friday ahead of his trial on sex offence charges in June.

Spacey has previously pleaded not guilty to 12 charges relating to alleged offences against four men, which are said to have taken place between 2001 and 2013.

The 63-year-old appeared at Southwark Crown Court remotely from an undisclosed location on Friday morning, ahead of a four-week trial at the same court which is due to begin in June.

The actor – wearing a grey suit, white shirt and burgundy tie – spoke only to confirm his name as Kevin Spacey Fowler and that he could hear proceedings.

Spacey was first charged in May last year with four counts of sexual assault and one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. He pleaded not guilty to those five charges last July.

Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service authorized seven additional charges in November.

Spacey pleaded not guilty in January to one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, three counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault.

Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Michael Holden