Harvey Weinstein: Met police investigate new sex assault claims

UK police are investigating a number of sexual assault allegations involving Harvey Weinstein, the BBC understands.

The Metropolitan Police says he is accused of assaulting three women in separate incidents in London in the late 1980s, 1992, 2010, 2011 and 2015.

Officers are looking into claims they were attacked in Westminster, Camden and west London.

The Hollywood film producer has "unequivocally denied" any allegations of non-consensual sex.

No arrests have been made over any of the allegations, police say.

New York police are also investigating claims against Weinstein, including rape and sexual assault.

More than two dozen women - among them actresses Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rose McGowan - have made a number of accusations against him.

Weinstein, 65, is a huge figure in the film world, where his productions have received more than 300 Oscar nominations and won 81.

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On Saturday, the organisation behind the Oscars (the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) voted to expel Weinstein.

Hollywood figures including Tom Hanks and Whoopi Goldberg sit on its board.

Announcing its decision, the Academy said the "era of wilful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behaviour and workplace harassment in our industry is over".

French President Emmanuel Macron has said he has taken steps to revoke Weinstein's Legion d'Honneur - the country's top honour - which he was awarded in 2012.

British actress Lysette Anthony is the latest named star to accuse Weinstein after she told the Sunday Times he attacked her at her London home in the late 1980s.

Anthony says she reported the attack to the Met adding she met the producer in 1982 when she was in sci-fi film Krull and the alleged assault happened a few years later.

It was a "pathetic, revolting" attack, the actress said, that had left her "disgusted and embarrassed".

The Metropolitan Police said it was passed an allegation of sexual assault, without giving details.

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BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford says detectives have two problems going forward - one will be gathering evidence from the time of these allegations, including an incident from 35 years ago.

He adds the other is that because Weinstein faces allegations in the United States, police will want to deal with that first before agreeing to extradite him to the UK to face any charges against him there.

Meanwhile, Woody Allen has said he had heard rumours about Weinstein but not "these horror stories", adding he was "sad" to hear about the numerous allegations.

The film-maker later clarified his comments. "When I said I felt sad for Harvey Weinstein I thought it was clear the meaning was because he is a sad, sick man," he told Variety.

Harvey Weinstein's brother has refused to comment on whether the board of Weinstein Company had been aware of settlements with women during recent contract negotiations.

But Bob Weinstein told the Hollywood Reporter he had no idea of "the type of predator" his brother was.

Other developments include:

Weinstein was an executive producer on The Reader, the film which earned Winslet her Oscar

• Kate Winslet has revealed she deliberately did not thank Harvey Weinstein when she won her Oscar for The Reader in 2009. "I remember being told, 'Make sure you thank Harvey if you win,'" the actress told the Los Angeles Times. "And I remember turning around and saying, 'No I won't.'"

• The British director of Oscar-tipped film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri said he was pleased Weinstein had "got his comeuppance". Speaking on the closing night of this year's London Film Festival, Martin McDonagh said: "Hopefully it's the start of something better."

• James Corden has apologised for making jokes about the Weinstein affair at a charity gala in Los Angeles. "I am truly sorry for anyone offended, that was never my intention," the British talk show host wrote on Twitter.

• The Producers Guild of America is to hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss expelling Harvey Weinstein from its ranks.

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