James Toback: Film-maker won't face sexual abuse prosecution in LA

James Toback said the stories were "nauseating and disgusting" and "pathetic lies"

Hollywood film-maker James Toback will not face sexual abuse charges in Los Angeles, prosecutors have said.

Toback has been accused by dozens of women, and the Los Angeles District Attorney evaluated five allegations, covering the years 1978 to 2008.

But the District Attorney's office said it had decided not to prosecute because the statute of limitations had expired.

The writer and director was nominated for an Oscar in 1992 for penning Bugsy. He has denied all the allegations.

The Los Angeles Times first reported in October that allegations had been made against him by 38 women. The newspaper eventually reported that almost 400 women had come forward to accuse him of unwanted sexual advances and abuse.

Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey looked at five complaints but decided the cases were all too old to prosecute and, in one case, the alleged victim had failed to appear for an interview.

They released details of the cases on Monday. One of the alleged victims accused the 73-year-old of having "rubbed his groin on her leg until he ejaculated" in 2008.

But she "did not appear for the scheduled interview with our office" and failed to respond to follow-up inquiries, Ms Lacey said.

Another woman said Toback masturbated four times, over several hours, by rubbing against her leg during a 1993 interview at a hotel.

In the earliest complaint of the five, a woman said he exposed himself to her after pushing her against a wall and tried to persuade her to have sex with him following a date.

Another woman said that, two years later, he repeatedly touched her chest and buttocks and attempted to kiss her.

The prosecutor's office said: "The one-year statute of limitations has expired therefore prosecution is declined."

When the original allegations emerged, Toback said he had never met any of the women mentioned, and if he did, it "was for five minutes and [he has] no recollection".

He also said that for the past 22 years, it had been "biologically impossible" for him to engage in the behaviour described.

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