“No realistic prospect of conviction anymore”

British prosecutors will not bring charges against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein because there is “no realistic prospect of a conviction.”

In June 2022, the CPS approved two charges of sexual assault of a woman by Weinstein. The alleged assaults are said to have taken place in London in 1996. These will now be dropped.

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Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS's Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Unit, said: “After reviewing the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein. The CPS is obliged to keep all cases under review on an ongoing basis and we have concluded that there is no longer a realistic prospect of a conviction.”

“We have explained our decision to everyone involved. We would always encourage potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and inform the police, and we will prosecute perpetrators if our legal requirements are met.”

This is the latest legal victory for Weinstein, whose 2020 rape conviction was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals earlier this year. In a 4-3 decision, the court found it was prejudicial to allow women who were not part of the case to testify about Weinstein's behavior. A new trial is tentatively scheduled for November.

In October 2022, a trial took place in Los Angeles, where Weinstein was ultimately found guilty of three counts of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

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