Will Harvey Weinstein go to prison, what is he charged with and how long could he be jailed for?

The Hollywood producer continues to deny all allegations of non-consensual sex. Here's what we know about the criminal charges, and if he could be sent to jail.

What is the latest over the allegations against Weinstein?

New legal papers claim Weinstein "aggressively and threateningly"demanded sex from a 16-year-old girl.

Lawyers allege the Hollywood producer "took off his pants" and forced the teenage model to touch him in his apartment.

A class-action lawsuit was filed and the teenager is believed to be the youngest publicly known alleged victim.

New court documents say she moved to America from Poland in 2002 to follow her dream of becoming a model and actress.

And it is claimed the girl, known as “Jane Doe”, met Weinstein at a modelling agency event when she was 16.

Lawyers allege he took her back to his apartment a few days later and “became intense as if he were hunting prey”.

Nearly 100 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct since October 2017.

The movie mogul is set to stand trial for sexual assault charges against him in November 2018.

Just a month before the trial, Manhattan’s district attorney dismissed one charge of a criminal sexual act made by Lucia Evans.

Five other charges, involving alleged assaults of two other women, remain in the case in Manhattan criminal court. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The recent court development came after new evidence emerged about Ms Evans, who claimed she had been forced to perform oral sex on Weinstein during a meeting at his New York office.

A friend of the singer who spoke to her after the alleged incident told investigators she had willingly performed the sex act.

Weinstein’s attorney, Benjamin Brafman, filed a motion accusing prosecutors of neglecting to tell a grand jury about exculpatory evidence, one month before his trial was set to begin in November 2018.

But Evans’ lawyer insisted her client’s claim against Weinstein was strong, writing in a statement before the hearing that she “knew of no evidence refuting our client’s report that Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her.”

Weinstein first surrendered to police on Friday, May 25, to face the charges in New York.

He has always denied the allegations made against him.

The allegations against Weinstein, first reported by the New York Times and the New Yorker last year, gave rise to the #MeToo movement in which hundreds of women publicly accused powerful men.

Could Harvey Weinstein face other legal action?

The other women making the allegations could pursue civil lawsuits as well as bringing criminal charges against Weinstein.

American lawyers in Los Angeles and New York – where most of Weinstein’s alleged sexual misconduct took place from the 1990s to 2015 –  claim the producer could face a number of potential lawsuits.

The film producer could even face criminal allegations ranging from sexual harassment, indecent exposure, committing a lewd act and even charges of rape, some added.

But New York criminal lawyer Stuart Slotnick said some cases could be difficult to pursue because of statutes of limitations – even if it was felt there was sufficient evidence to justify a charge.

He told People: “If a woman comes forward and says this happened on this date and it’s within the statute of limitations, there is a likelihood that a prosecutor will look at it and take the case. The statute of limitations in New York used to be five years but it was extended in many cases because of different circumstances."

Asia Argento, an Italian actor and director, Lucia Evans, a former aspiring actor, and one unnamed woman accused Weinstein of rape – allegations he “unequivocally denies”.

Hollyoaks star Lysette Anthony has vowed to face Weinstein in court after she recently revealed she told police the Hollywood producer raped her at her home in the late 80s.

Four other women told the magazine that Weinstein touched them without their consent in a way “that could be classified as an assault”.

Others, including the actors Mira Sorvino and Rosanna Arquette, alleged sexual harassment on the part of the Hollywood mogul.

Mr Slotnick said: "In prosecution for a Class A felony, and rape in the first degree or aggravated sexual abuse, there’s no statute of limitations.

"For any other felonies it’s five years. So there’s some crimes of rape where there’s no statute and some where it’s five years. Rape in the first degree would be forcible compulsion.”

Beauty queen Ambra Battilana Gutierrez wore a wire during a police sting in 2015 when Weinstein appeared to apologise to the Italian model in an audio recording released by the New Yorker.

Weeks after the recording, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance decided not to press charges, the New Yorker reported.

But the case could reopen with the right prosecutor in light of the overwhelming number of allegations against Weinstein that have recently emerged.

New York lawyer Lawrence Pearson told Vulture: “If there is a large amount of corroborating evidence that shows he had a pattern of conduct, then a prosecutor who is more willing to be aggressive could very well bring a case. Or if new DNA evidence is discovered, that may be more willing to prosecute."


WEINSTEIN’S ACCUSERS Harvey Weinstein allegations and accusers – from Myleene Klass to Gwyneth Paltrow


If found guilty, what sentence could Harvey Weinstein face?

If Weinstein were to be charged and subsequently convicted in a court despite his denials, he could potentially face life in prison.

Weinstein said he “unequivocally denied”  claims of non-consensual sex.

In a statement, his lawyers added: “Mr Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances.”

In the wake of the scandal, Weinstein has now been forced out of his own company.

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