Southwark Crown Court Jury Retires to Consider Verdict in Kevin Spacey Sexual Offences Trial

A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of actor Kevin Spacey, who is facing nine charges of sexual offences against four men in Britain.

The charges relate to incidents that took place between 2004 and 2013, while Spacey was artistic director of the Old Vic theatre in London.

Three of the accusers allege that Spacey groped them, while the fourth says he was sexually assaulted and then had oral sex performed on him while he was unconscious in Spacey's flat.

Spacey has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and suggested in evidence that his accusers were lying or reimagining consensual sexual encounters.

The jury, made up of nine men and three women, began considering its verdict on Monday after being given final directions by Judge Mark Wall.

The trial is expected to last several weeks.