Elton John Gives Evidence At Kevin Spacey Trial - Noise11.com
Elton John and his Band perform in Melbourne at Rod Laver Arena on Friday 11 December 2015. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Elton John and his Band perform in Melbourne at Rod Laver Arena on Friday 11 December 2015. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Elton John Gives Evidence At Kevin Spacey Trial

by Paul Cashmere on July 18, 2023

in News

Elton John and his husband David Furnish were called as witnesses for the defence during Kevin Spacey’s ongoing sex offence trial on Monday.

Sir Elton and his producer partner David Furnish appeared separately in Southwark Crown Court via video link from a boardroom in Monaco. They were asked questions relating to one of the actor’s accusers, who claimed that Spacey grabbed him by the crotch when he was driving the actor to John and Furnish’s White Tie & Tiara Ball in 2004 or 2005.

According to The Associated Press, Furnish supported Spacey’s testimony by stating that he only ever attended the event, which raised funds for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, in 2001.

He testified that he had gone through the photo archives and could only find pictures of the Oscar-winning actor that year. He insisted it was not possible for celebrity guests to attend without being snapped.

“It never happened,” Furnish stated. “It was understood that we were promoting a charity that involves the eradication of stigma around the disease and if a celebrity wanted to come they would be photographed and appear in OK (magazine).”

Furnish confirmed that he recognised the alleged victim and added, “He was a little bit cheeky, he always had a cheeky smile on his face. You could always engage in playful banter with him.”

John testified that he did not recognise the accuser’s name or face and that he assumed Spacey had come straight to the ball, where he “arrived in white tie”, from his private jet.

He told the court that the American Beauty star stayed over at their home in Windsor after the event but never on any other occasion. However, the Mini Cooper Spacey bought during the charity auction remained in storage there for some time.

Spacey has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of sexual assault, indecent assault and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. The counts relate to four men and alleged incidents which occurred between 2001 and 2013.

The trial continues.

music-news.com

Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here

Be the first to see NOISE.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11.com

Related Posts

Shirley Strachan Skyhooks (photo from skyhooks-music.com)
Shirley Strachan of Skyhooks Left Us 24 Years Ago Today 29 August

It’s hard to believe it’s been 24 years since Australia lost one of its most iconic musical sons—Graeme “Shirley” Strachan, the charismatic lead singer of Skyhooks. Today, on 29 August 2025, fans, friends, and fellow musicians remember the voice that defined a generation, the performer whose presence lit up stages, and the personality who made Australian rock both fun and unforgettable.

6 days ago
Russell Morris at Hamer Hall Melbourne 27 August 2025 photo by Winston Robinson
Russell Morris The Farewell Tour Is A Treasure Trove Of Hits and Rarities

Russell Morris was almost apologetic when he stepped onto the Hamer Hall stage in Melbourne for the first night of The Farewell Tour on Wednesday (27 August 2025). He admitted to his fans that a 60-year career can look confusing from the outside. The truth is, Morris was never one to sit still.

7 days ago
Steve Martin and Alison Browne photo from Compass Records
Steve Martin and Alison Brown Unite for Safe, Sensible and Sane Out October 17

Steve Martin has spent decades balancing comedy, acting, writing and music, but his love for the banjo has always been more than a hobby. On October 17, Martin will join forces with banjo trailblazer Alison Brown for their new collaborative album Safe, Sensible and Sane, a star-studded roots music project set to be one of the year’s most intriguing releases.

August 26, 2025
Tom Waits supplied by Anti
Tom Waits To Reissue 1975 Classic Nighthawks at the Diner For 50th Anniversary

Tom Waits’ Nighthawks at the Diner is being reissued for its 50th anniversary on October 24, with ANTI- Records pressing the landmark album onto three limited-edition yellow vinyl variants. More than just a re-release, this marks a celebration of one of the most unusual and defining recordings of Waits’ early career.

August 26, 2025
Queen autographed A Night At The Opera
Why Queen’s Quietest Member John Deacon Chose to Become a Recluse Until This Rare Return

For fans of Queen, John Deacon has long been the enigma of the band, a brilliant musician, masterful songwriter, and humble presence behind the scenes. Since the early 1990s, Deacon has shunned the spotlight, retiring quietly after Freddie Mercury’s death in 1991. But now, years later, he has quietly resurfaced, lending his signature alongside bandmates Roger Taylor and Brian May on a charity auction item, signalling, perhaps, that even the most private of souls can still make their mark in unexpected ways.

August 25, 2025
Patti Smith Horses 50th Anniversary
Patti Smith ‘Horses’ Gets 50th Anniversary Reissue With Unearthed Demos and Live Cuts

In 1975, Patti Smith entered Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios in New York City with a vision: to fuse the jagged energy of punk with the fluid imagery of poetry. That vision became Horses, one of the most groundbreaking debut albums in rock history. Now, half a century later, Sony has announced the 50th Anniversary Expanded Edition of Horses, a release that both celebrates the legacy of the record and offers fans newly unearthed material from Smith’s early years.

August 25, 2025
Bruce Springsteen Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run Album Turns 50

On 25 August 1975, Bruce Springsteen released Born To Run, the album that transformed him from a New Jersey barroom songwriter into one of the most important voices in rock history. Fifty years later, the record still stands as a landmark, both for its ambitious sound and for the way it defined Springsteen’s career.

August 25, 2025