26 Apr 2016

Court rejects Cosby's appeal against sex assault charges

1:25 pm on 26 April 2016

The American comedian Bill Cosby has had his appeal against sexual assault charges thrown out.

A Pennsylvania appeals court has cleared the way for the criminal case against Cosby to proceed, despite a deal he contends was reached with prosecutors a decade ago.

The 78-year-old is charged with drugging and assaulting a former basketball coach, Andrea Constand, at his home in 2004.

Ms Constand, now 44, is one of more than 50 women who have accused Cosby of sexually assaulting them in a series of attacks dating back to the 1960s.

Cosby said the encounter with Constand was consensual and that he gave her an anti-allergy medication.