{"id":79066,"date":"2022-06-20T13:49:19","date_gmt":"2022-06-20T13:49:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=79066"},"modified":"2022-06-20T13:49:19","modified_gmt":"2022-06-20T13:49:19","slug":"director-paul-haggis-arrested-in-italy-for-alleged-sexual-assault","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=79066","title":{"rendered":"Director Paul Haggis arrested in Italy for alleged ‘sexual assault’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Oscar-winning Canadian director Paul Haggis was arrested in southern Italy on suspicion of aggravated sexual assault, Italian news agencies reported Sunday, citing local prosecutors.<\/p>\n

A statement from Brindisi prosecutors said the director and screenwriter was “seriously suspected of the crimes of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated personal injury, crimes committed to the prejudice of a young foreign woman,” the ANSA and AGI agencies reported.<\/p>\n

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Through his Italian lawyer, Michele Laforgia, Haggis denied the allegations.<\/p>\n

“Make enquiries as soon as possible, I am totally innocent,” he said, according to the agencies, citing Laforgia.<\/p>\n

Neither the prosecutor's office nor Laforgia responded to after-hours requests for more information Sunday.<\/p>\n

Haggis, 69, who wrote and produced the Oscar-winning film “Crash,” was expected to headline the “Allora Fest” film festival beginning Tuesday in the city of Ostuni in the province of Brindisi.<\/p>\n

The alleged victim had been staying with Haggis ahead of the festival, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n

“The suspect allegedly forced the young woman, whom he met some time ago, to undergo sexual intercourse,” they wrote.<\/p>\n

Following one encounter, the woman was “forced to seek medical care”, they wrote.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oscar-winning Canadian director Paul Haggis was arrested in southern Italy on suspicion of aggravated sexual assault, Italian news agencies reported Sunday, citing local prosecutors. A statement from Brindisi prosecutors said the director and screenwriter was “seriously suspected of the crimes of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated personal injury, crimes committed to the prejudice of a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":79067,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n