Sexual assault charges against Harvey Weinstein dropped in UK

British prosecutors have dropped two charges of sexual assault against disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

In June 2022, the CPS approved charges against Weinstein for alleged offences against a woman, now in her mid-50s, which the Metropolitan Police said were committed in 1996.

On Thursday it was confirmed that the charges had been dropped because “there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction”.

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

“We have explained our decision to all parties… We will always encourage potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will pursue prosecutions where our legal requirements are met,” Ferguson added.

The once-revered producer was serving a 23-year prison sentence following his 2020 rape conviction in New York, but it was overturned earlier this year. A tentative new trial date has been set, with jury selection expected to begin on November 12.

Weinstein was also found guilty by a Los Angeles jury in 2022 of three counts of sexual assault against Jane Doe No. 1, who later identified herself as former Russian model Evgeniya Chernyshova. He has also appealed that 16-year prison sentence.

More than 100 people in the film industry have made allegations of rape and misconduct against Weinstein, dating back to the 1970s. Weinstein has maintained his innocence to this day.

The CPS's specialist crime unit deals with the most complex and sensitive cases in England and Wales, including disasters, serious criminal allegations against police officers, corporate manslaughter and electoral fraud. Weinstein was stripped of his honorary CBE in 2020, awarded to him for his contribution to the British film industry.