Author McEwan’s a Weinstein sceptic

Author Ian McEwan has said he will maintain a “degree of scepticism” about the allegations facing Harvey Weinstein until he has heard them set out in court.

The writer said he thinks the accused film producer seems like “a moral monster” but he will withhold judgment until the trial.

Weinstein has been charged with two counts of rape – one in the first degree and another in the third degree – and one count of a criminal sexual act for alleged incidents involving two separate women.

The charges follow an avalanche of accusations – including from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars – which first emerged last year, sparking the international MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

Last Friday, Weinstein handed himself in to police in New York.

Weinstein has repeatedly denied any allegations of non-consensual sex and intends to plead not guilty, his lawyer Benjamin Brafman said outside court.

McEwan told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It seems a kind of circus to me.

“There is the media stuff, which we have to penetrate.

“We don’t know what actually happened; it seems he is a moral monster who has had his comeuppance, but I always like to encourage in myself just a degree of scepticism once the whole mob is in full cry.”

Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein faces a series of allegations including two of rape.