X-Men director asks judge to throw out sex abuse case

X-Men director Bryan Singer has asked a judge in Los Angeles to dismiss a lawsuit brought by an anonymous British man accusing the filmmaker and an entertainment executive of sexually abusing him as a minor.

The lawsuit accuses Singer and entertainment industry executive Gary Goddard, 60, of coercing the British man into sex acts as a minor with the promise of helping him in an acting career. 

Singer’s attorney, Marty Singer, asked US District Judge Dean Pregerson to throw out the suit filed in May, saying that it was improperly filed anonymously by a British citizen, who was identified in court papers as John Doe No. 117.

Singer, 48, also demanded in court that the plaintiff pay US$300,000 (S$374,000) for Singer’s expected legal fees. 

Goddard last month asked for the suit to be dismissed.

This is the second sex abuse lawsuit against Singer that was filed ahead of the release of his film X-Men: Days of Future Past. 

Source: Reuters