Actor Kevin Spacey took the stand in his London sexual assault trial, denying accusations of violent groping and portraying his relationships with the accusers as consensual and even intimate. He challenged the claims of one accuser, suggesting a "somewhat sexual" relationship existed between them and expressing disbelief that the man would "stab him in the back" two decades later. This accuser alleges Spacey repeatedly touched him inappropriately, including an incident of aggressive crotch-grabbing while driving. Spacey countered this narrative by presenting evidence suggesting he was working in Australia at the time of the alleged car incident, which the accuser placed between 2004 and 2005, en route to Elton John’s annual gala. Spacey maintained he only attended the event in 2001.

Spacey’s testimony contrasted sharply with the accounts of the alleged victims, who described the actor’s actions as aggressive and non-consensual. One accuser compared the alleged groping to a "cobra coming out and getting hold," a claim Spacey dismissed as "madness." Spacey presented a different picture of his interactions with the accusers, describing flirtatious behavior and characterizing himself as "a big flirt." He reflected fondly on a photo sent to him by one accuser, showcasing a charity mountain trek, and emphasized the man's humor and charm.

During opening statements, prosecutors labeled Spacey a "sexual bully" who disregards personal boundaries and derives pleasure from making others uncomfortable. They highlighted his alleged pattern of aggressively grabbing men in the crotch. Spacey’s defense attorney, Patrick Gibbs, countered these accusations, urging jurors to scrutinize the evidence and question the alleged victims' motives. Gibbs implied that Spacey's 2020 public acknowledgment of his homosexuality might have made him vulnerable to opportunistic accusations.

Spacey has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges, including sexual assault, indecent assault, and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. These charges relate to alleged incidents with four different men between 2001 and 2013 in London and Gloucestershire. These allegations follow previous accusations of sexual misconduct made by actor Anthony Rapp in 2017, who claimed Spacey assaulted him at a party in the 1980s. Spacey was found not liable in Rapp’s civil lawsuit. Following Rapp’s allegations and subsequent accusations from other men, Spacey was removed from the Netflix series "House of Cards." He has since returned to acting with roles in films like "The Man Who Drew God," "Once Upon a Time in Croatia," and "Peter Five Eight."