British actress accuses director Roman Polanski of sexual abuse

LOS ANGELES: Director Roman Polanski, who is wanted in the US in a 1978 child sex case, has been hit by fresh accusations by a British actress. Charlotte Lewis, now 42, alleges that Polanski sexually abused her in 1982 when she was just 16. In apress conference at the Los Angeles office of attorney Gloria Allred yesterday,Lewis, who appeared in Polanski's 1986 film 'Pirates', alleged that the director"forced himself" upon her in Paris when she was 16. The actress saidthe incident occurred in a Paris apartment but she did not report it at thetime. The legal age of consent in France is 15, according to French law, the LosAngeles Times reported. The actress was a child star in Britain onthe TV show 'Grange Hill' and also appeared in movies. The LosAngeles County district attorney's office confirmed Lewis met with prosecutorson Thursday but declined to comment further. Polanski is wanted inthe US so he can be sentenced for having unlawful sex with a minor in 1977. Hefled America on the eve of his sentencing and has been living in exile in Europeever since. 'The Rosemary's Baby' director is currently under housearrest at his chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland, following his arrest in Zurich inSeptember last year. Polanski's attorney released the followingstatement, saying, "We don't have any information about statements made at aGloria Allred press conference today, but we do know that our district attorneycontinues to refuse to provide the Swiss government with accurate and completeinformation relevant to the extradition issue." The latestdevelopment has brought trouble for the director as prosecutors could use Lewis'statement if Polanski comes to the US for the sentencing. Thedirector had accused the US justice system of using him for "gaining somepublicity" in his first ever interview since his arrest seven months ago.