Harvey Weinstein faces arrest over rape allegations

Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is expected to hand himself in later today to face rape charges, according to New York police.

The New York Times, citing an anonymous law enforcement source, says Weinstein, 66, will be charged with “first-degree rape and third-degree rape in one case, and with first-degree criminal sex act in another”.

While the victim in the rape case has not been publicly identified, the second charge stems from an encounter between Weinstein and the actor Lucia Evans, who says he forced her to perform oral sex.

Evans told investigators that the alleged offence occurred during what she thought was a casting meeting at the New York office of film production company Miramax.

The charges will be the first since a torrent of sexual assault, misconduct and harassment allegations against Weinstein triggered the #MeToo movement.

Weinstein has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.

But he also remains “under investigation for alleged sex crimes in Los Angeles and London”, says CNN, and “federal prosecutors in New York have started a sex-crimes investigation involving Weinstein”.

The actor Rose McGowan, who has also accused Weinstein, released a statement in response to the news.

“I, and so many of Harvey Weinstein’s survivors, had given up hope that our rapist would be held accountable by law,” she said. ”Twenty years ago, I swore that I would right this wrong. Today we are one step closer to justice.”