Actor Kevin Spacey has been cleared of all charges in his sexual assault trial in London. The jury returned not guilty verdicts for nine sexual offence charges relating to four men between 2001

and 2013.

The 64-year-old Oscar winner had vehemently denied the allegations and referred to the case against him as "weak." Emotions ran high as Mr. Spacey cried at Southwark Crown Court when the not guilty verdicts were announced. He expressed gratitude to his manager and legal team and thanked the court staff.

The jury acquitted the actor of seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

Prosecutors had claimed that Spacey aggressively assaulted three men by grabbing them by the crotch and performed a sex act on another man while he was asleep in his flat. The star had been accused of leaving the four complainants feeling "small, diminished, and worthless."

During the trial, the complainants denied seeking financial gain, attempting to advance their careers, or providing false accounts to the jury. They are entitled to life-long anonymity under the law.

The trial, which lasted nearly four weeks, featured testimony from multiple witnesses, including Mr. Spacey himself. Notable defense witnesses included Sir Elton John, who appeared via video link from Monaco, and Sir Elton's husband, David Furnish.

Throughout the proceedings, Mr. Spacey maintained his innocence, describing the allegations against him as "madness" and a "stab in the back." Photo by Maryland GovPics, Wikimedia commons.