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 denied the allegations and previously called the case against him “weak”.

Mr Spacey cried at Southwark Crown Court as the not guilty verdicts were read out.

Having heard the verdicts, he hugged his manager and legal team, and thanked 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.

Jurors rejected prosecution’s claims that Spacey had “aggressively” grabbed three men by the crotch and had performed a sex act on another man while he was asleep in his flat.

Under questioning from Spacey’s lawyer, Patrick Gibbs KC, the complainants had all denied either seeking financial gain, attempting to further their career or giving false accounts to the jury.

The trial at Southwark Crown Court lasted nearly four weeks and heard from multiple witnesses, including Mr Spacey himself.

Defence witnesses included Sir Elton John, who appeared by video link from Monaco, as well as Sir Elton’s husband, David Furnish.

Mr Spacey denied all charges – saying the allegations against him were “madness” and a “stab in the back”.