Bill Cosby found guilty of sexually assaulting minor, to pay $500,000 in damages

Previously, over 50 women have accused Bill Cosby of sexual misconduct.

Washington: American comedian and actor Bill Cosby has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman, Judy Ruth, when she was a teenager in 1975. The Los Angeles jury, comprising of eight women and four men, gave their verdict in favour of Ruth and found that Cosby was liable for damages, reported CNN.

The jury ordered the comedian to pay Huth USD 500,000 million in damages. However, no punitive damages were found. Ruth had filed a complaint against Cosby in 2014 for sexually harassing her at the Playboy Mansion when she was a 16-year-old.

According to the original filing, Huth claimed that the incident happened in 1974 when she was 15. However, when the timeline was revised to 1975, it was found that Huth was assaulted when she was 16. In the complaint, Ruth alleged that she and her friend met Cosby when the actor-comedian was filming a movie at a park, reported CNN.

After Cosby befriended the two teenagers, he asked them to accompany him to his tennis club. From the club, Huth claimed that Cosby took them to a house and served the underage girls alcoholic drinks, multiple times.

Later, the 84-year-old took the teenagers to the Playboy Mansion. Huth alleged that despite knowing the age of the two young women, Cosby had instructed them, "that if any of the Playboy bunnies asked their age, they should say they were 19."

Further, Cosby directed her to a bedroom, where he sexually harassed her, reported CNN.

However, the actor, through his lawyers has denied all the allegations of sexual misconduct.

In addition, Cosby's attorneys have even attempted to dismiss the case. Previously, over 50 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. The American actor was also been convicted of sexually harassing Andrea Constand in Philadelphia as a result of which he was sentenced to three years in a state prison in Pennsylvania, reported CNN.

However, on an appeal, his conviction was overturned and he was released from prison in September 2021. The civil case, lodged by Judy Ruth is the first one to make it to trial.