Met Police probes Weinstein over 12 ‘victims’ in Britain
JAILED movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is facing another sex attack claim in Britain, it has emerged.
Scotland Yard is investigating a report by a woman that he sexually assaulted her in Westminster in the 1990s.
That brings the total number of women who have made allegations in the UK against the disgraced former movie producer to 12.
It comes as the daily Mail has learnt a High Court compensation claim of more than £300,000 brought by six victims has been discontinued, sparking specurequired lation a substantial settlement has been reached out of court.
One victim alleged Weinstein sexually assaulted her at London’s Savoy Hotel.
The woman, then one of his employees, said she was ‘summoned to the hotel’ where she was left alone with Weinstein, according to court documents.
Another accused him of a number of assaults, including at least one in a London hotel.
The woman, employed by both UK and US entities of The Weinstein Company, said she was to meet him at Heathrow Airport. She had to accompany Weinstein to a hotel where he removed his clothes and sexually assaulted her, according to documents in the claim. The probe, Operation Kaguyak, into the convicted rapist is continuing, but there are fears his UK victims may never see justice.
When the 69-year-old was jailed for 23 years for rape and sex assault in the US in 2020, Met detectives vowed to continue their investigation. Officers interviewed a number of victims in the US who say they were attacked when in London for events such as premieres.
detectives have received 17 allegations of sexual assault from 12 victims, from the 1980s to 2015. Prosecutors received an evidence file from police in September 2020, but further investigation was required.
A final file was submitted in July but no charges have been brought. Prosecutors will have to consider if it is in the public interest to charge him as he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars in America.
Weinstein is also facing 11 additional sexual assault charges in Los Angeles, meaning there is little prospect of extradition soon. He could face a sentence of up to 140 years if convicted.
Oxford graduate Rowena Chiu, who accused Weinstein of trying to rape her, has said: ‘Those of us who were his employees in London and victims of his in Europe do want to see justice served on our home turf.’
Law firm Fieldfisher, representing the six women, refused to comment yesterday on the discontinued High Court claim. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘Officers from the Met’s Complex Case Team have now received a total of 12 allegations of sexual assault from victims under Operation Kaguyak.’
‘Justice on home turf’