The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided to discontinue the indecent assault charges against former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, citing insufficient grounds for conviction. Weinstein, 72, had been charged in 2022 with two counts of indecent assault stemming from alleged incidents in London in 1996. The complainant is a woman now in her 50s, according to the Metropolitan Police.
The CPS made its decision after reviewing the evidence and concluding that “there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.” Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’s special crime and counter-terrorism division, emphasized the agency’s responsibility to reassess criminal cases and communicate decisions to all involved parties.
“We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met,” Ferguson said.
Weinstein, who is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence in New York for rape and sexual assault, had his conviction overturned in April by the city’s appeals court, which found that he did not receive a fair trial. He remains incarcerated at Rikers Island while awaiting a retrial scheduled for later this year. Additionally, Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in a separate California rape trial, which he is appealing.
More than 100 individuals have accused Weinstein of rape and misconduct dating back to the late 1970s, a wave of allegations that played a significant role in fueling the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse by powerful figures. Despite his conviction in New York, Weinstein has consistently claimed innocence, alleging he was the victim of a “set-up.”
Weinstein, who co-founded the Miramax film studio, is known for producing critically acclaimed films such as Shakespeare in Love and Pulp Fiction. His productions have garnered over 300 Oscar nominations and 81 awards. In 2020, he was stripped of his honorary CBE, an honor previously awarded for his contributions to the British film industry.
