British officials considering formal extradition Kevin Spacey from the US on four sexual assault charges, unless he came to the UK voluntarily.
The 62-year-old actor may be detained by US police on behalf of the UK before he can be formally charged.
On Thursday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorized four charges in relation to alleged attacks on three men between 2005 and 2013 – following the Metropolitan Police investigation.
Nick Vamos, the former head of extradition at CPS, told Guardian Formal extradition could take several months, requiring officials in the US to analyze papers sent from Britain.
British authorities are considering the formal extradition of Kevin Spacey (pictured) from the US on four sexual assault charges, unless he voluntarily returns to the UK
The crimes reportedly took place between 2005 (pictured) and 2013, when Spacey was one of the world’s biggest stars.
Before the actor can be found and taken into custody, he would need to realize that there was a ‘probable cause’ for the crime to happen.
“The US Department of Justice will employ US marshals to find Mr. Spacey and take him to a federal court.” He always had the option of surrendering and not resisting extradition,’ Mr Vamos told the newspaper.
The former CPS officer said it is harder to resist an extradition request in the US than in the UK.
If he doesn’t oppose the process, it could happen within a few weeks, Mr Vamos explained.
Kevin Spacey outside The Old Vic Theater in London, where he was artistic director for 11 years. The alleged sexual assaults are said to have taken place in the same period.
He said extradition offers greater protection, as only charges that were agreed to by the US as part of the process would be brought against Mr. Spacey.
If he returns to the UK and is charged, he could very quickly return to the US, if bail arrangements allow him to cross the Atlantic.
The four charges relate to alleged attacks against three people in London and Gloucestershire.
Kevin Spacey won his Best Actor Oscar at the 72nd Academy Awards for his role in American Beauty. He poses with Michael Caine, who won Best Supporting Actor Gong
The first alleged attack in London was said to have involved a man, now in his 40s, in March 2005.
The actor is accused of abetting another man, now 30, to engage in sexual activity without consent in August 2008 in London.
And Mr Spacey is accused of sexually assaulting another man, now 30, in Gloucestershire in April 2013.
The actor, who was seen in House of Cards and was artistic director of the Old Vic Theater in London from 2004 to 2015, has denied all allegations.
He has won two Oscars. The first was in 1995 for Best Supporting Actor for his role as gangster Keysar Soz in The Usual Suspects.
On Friday, CPS Special Crimes Division chief Rosemary Ainslie said: ‘CPS has authorized criminal charges against 62-year-old Kevin Spacey on four counts of sexual assault against three men.
The CPS also authorized an allegation for engaging a person in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The right to charge follows a review of evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.
‘The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr. Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.’
A spokesman said CPS has authorized charges against Kevin Spacey, but police have yet to charge him.
Spacey is a two-time Oscar winner and is known for starring in American Beauty, The Usual Suspects and House of Cards.
He came out as gay in 2017.
The 62-year-old actor was carefully interviewed by the Metropolitan Police’s Complex Cases team in the US in 2019. He had given a file to CPS last year.
Mr Spacey did not attend the Cannes Film Festival last week. But he is also one of the stars of a micro-budget movie called Peter Five Eight.