British prosecutors said on Thursday they had discontinued indecent assault charges against former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein after concluding there was no realistic chance of securing a conviction.
When it authorized charges against Weinstein two years ago, Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said the alleged assault had taken place in August 1996 in London, with police adding the accusation had involved a woman now aged in her 50s.
"Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein," said Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS' Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division.
"The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review, and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction."