Hollywood star quizzed by police after claims he ‘groped masseuse’

A MARRIED film star has been questioned by police in Britain over allegations by his masseuse that he sexually assaulted her.

The Hollywood actor was interviewed under caution at the end of June after the woman claimed he groped her and rubbed himself against her.

‘Embarrassed and confused’

The alleged sexual assault was said to have taken place last autumn at his London place of work where the therapist, a single mother, had been giving him massages for a few months, the Sunday Times reported.

The unnamed British actor is believed to reject the allegations.

The woman told the newspaper the pair developed a friendship and exchanged flirtatious texts before the incident. She said that on the day of the alleged assault, the actor had tried to kiss her and asked her to focus on his groin, which she refused to do.

‘When I started to massage his upper legs, he started to ask me to go further up and close to his crotch and close to his sexual organ,’ she said. The actor later started to ‘touch me, touch my body, touch my bottom’ and ‘rub himself on me’, she added.

Following the appointment, the actor said he did not have the money to pay her. They agreed to meet a week later for another appointment and for him to settle his bill. The woman said she hoped he would apologise for his actions. However, she said that he refused to discuss the matter and encouraged her to leave after paying what he owed plus a £40 (€44) tip.

She claims she has not heard back from him since. The masseuse said she received about €550 a month for the sessions, which took place up to twice a week.

In the months before the assault is said to have taken place, the pair exchanged more than 100 texts, many of which were sent late at night and signed off with kisses by both parties.

‘He became my friend, certainly,’ the woman said. ‘I trusted him... He was like my other friends who were clients.’

By last August the texts had become flirtatious and they once discussed massaging each other.

She insisted, however, that she wanted to keep the relationship professional and she was ‘embarrassed’ and ‘confused’ by what had taken place.

‘It takes a while to realise what just happened to you when you develop a bond of trust,’ she said.

Scotland Yard told the paper: ‘On January 30 police were made aware of an allegation of sexual assault. A man has been interviewed under caution in relation to the investigation. Inquiries continue.’

‘‘You develop a bond of trust’