The charges against Weinstein refer to two incidents involving two separate women in 2013 and 2004. The alleged victim in the rape case has not been publicly identified.

The criminal sex act charge is based on allegations by former actress Lucia Evans, who says that Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him at what she had believed would be a casting meeting at Miramax’s offices in Manhattan. According to a police source, Evans is “a highly credible witness with corroborating evidence”.

In a new interview with The New Yorker, Evans confirmed she was pressing charges against Weinstein, adding that authorities told her “Harvey would walk” if she declined to give evidence.

“At a certain point, you have to think about the greater good of humanity, of womankind,” she said.

“I know how this has changed my life for the worse. How he took away my self-esteem and personal power. And knowing I can take it back, and stop him from doing that to another woman, I couldn’t let that go.”

Until this week, it remained unclear whether Weinstein would ever face criminal charges for his alleged behaviour. Many of the women who have accused him of sexually assaulting or raping them are citing alleged crimes that happened decades ago, making them impossible to prosecute under the statute of limitations in many US states.

Authorities in Los Angeles and London are also investigating assault allegations against Weinstein. There is no statute of limitations on rape cases in the UK, and some of the allegations currently being investigated in London date back to the Eighties.

Main image: Getty Images

How #MeToo activists responded to Harvey Weinstein turning himself in