Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Assault accused film director was ‘totally Harvey Weinstein’
Actress left in tears following attack by NI man, court told
A Bafta-nominated director was branded “totally Harvey Weinstein” by an actress he allegedly sexually assaulted at her home, a court heard yesterday.
Stephen Fingleton, from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, and the alleged victim met at a film industry party in London two years ago.
A jury heard he complimented her on her dress and the pair exchanged numbers, arranging to meet for lunch at her home, lawyers said.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward told Isleworth Crown Court it is alleged when the pair met, Fingleton sexually assaulted the woman at her West London flat on October 27, 2017.
She added that after the incident the woman texted a friend, telling them Fingleton had been “totally Harvey Weinstein”.
Ms Ledward said during their lunch the 35-year-old began to bring up sexual topics “out of the blue” such as whether the actress had done nudity.
The woman, who is in her 20s and cannot be named for legal reasons, began to feel uncomfortable when Fingleton touched her shoulder “quite unexpectedly and seemingly unnecessarily” as he went past her, the prosecutor added.
Ms Ledward said the actress did not say anything because “she did not want to offend and ruin a possible work opportunity if she had gotten the wrong end of the stick”.
She added Fingleton cornered the woman in the kitchen, boxing her in with his hands so she had to push past him to get out.
The jury heard the accused stroked her hair and put his arm around her while they watched a film she was in. Later, when she was crouching down doing her washing, Fingleton grabbed her head and pulled it towards him, it is alleged. Ms Ledward said: “The defendant grabbed the top of her head with his hands and pushed it towards his crotch and said, ‘You need to keep your head there, keep it down there’.
“She said she thought it was a business meeting, not a date and he said, ‘I don’t separate the two’.”
When she told Fingleton she was not interested in him, he pulled her toward him and tried to kiss her, the jury heard. Ms Ledward added: “He was much stronger than her and she felt scared at this point about what he planned to do next.”
The jury of six women and six men heard she told him to leave and started crying. Ms Ledward said when Fingleton left the woman texted a friend and was encouraged to go to the police.
He was interviewed under caution the next day.
Fingleton denies one count of sexual assault.
The trial continues.
GRABBED
He was much stronger than her and she felt scared JOCELYN LEDWARD COURT YESTERDAY