Kevin Spacey: What are the key claims from accusers?

Good-looking young men were warned about the behaviour of actor Kevin Spacey, who it was well known was "up to no good", a court in London has heard.

The Hollywood star appeared at Southwark Crown Court this week accused of sex offences against four men, as the month-long trial against him continues.

Spacey has denied 12 charges against him, including sexual assault and indecent assault.

One witness described a culture that saw young men warned about Spacey's alleged behaviour, while another claimed that an alleged incident in which Spacey grabbed his crotch and attempted to kiss him "shook me up".

Yahoo News UK summarises what the alleged victims have said so far:

First accuser

On 3 July, the court heard a police tape of an interview with the first alleged victim.

The man claims that Spacey acted as though he “thought he could groom me”, describing him as a “slippery, snaky, difficult person” and referencing his serial killer character in the film Seven, saying: “He’s a bit like that, a bit creepy.”

He said Spacey had claimed he could introduce him to Hollywood stars and that, on several occasions, the actor became "very friendly" and attempted to grab him on several occasions. The alleged victim says he told Spacey to stop.

“He would try to grope me and try to grab me and make me feel very uncomfortable,” the witness said. “He sort of left me and didn’t say anything. He would just laugh it off and change the subject.”

On one occasion, the witness claimed, he had driven Spacey to a showbiz party in the 2000s and the actor "grabbed me so hard I almost came off the road".

“He grabbed me really hard and it really hurt," he said.

“I pushed him against the door and said, ‘Don’t do that again or I will knock you out’.”

Second accuser

On Tuesday, the court was played a police interview with a second alleged victim, who claimed Spacey told him to "be cool" as he tried to kiss him and grab his crotch at a party.

The man claimed that the alleged encounter happened after he accidentally let the actor’s dog out.

He said: “At which point, he came towards me in a huggy motion and said ‘Don’t worry about it, it is cool, it is cool.’

“We did an awkward man-hug… he hugged me, I did a sort of pat on the back type of thing.

“At that point he kissed my neck twice and grabbed my crotch. He said the words ‘Ve cool, be cool’ twice.

“I put my arm between us and pushed him against a wall. I said: ‘I am sorry, I don’t bat for that team'”, at which Spacey had a “panicked” look on his face and left.

He said in his police interview played to jurors: “It was unwanted. It shook me up and that night I got a bit teary. The alcohol would have had an influence on that.

“I got a bit teary when my dad asked what happened. The next morning I… got on with things.”

He said the alleged incident became somewhat of a “running joke” among friends after, which he said “helped”.