According to a British woman, Paul Haggis raped her and offered her the part of James Bond.
Police found the unidentified 30 year-old in distress. He told them she’d been keeping her in an Italian bed & breakfast for 48 hours, and that she’d been abused before leaving her at an airport.
Haggis was seen before a judge Wednesday. His lawyer Michele Laforgia has insisted that the couple had consensual sex.
Haggis was the co-writer, director, and producer of Crash. He is shown with his lawyers at the court in Italy.
File photo: Haggis is pictured on October 16, 2015 arriving at the Rome Film Festival
A behind closed doors hearing took place in Brindisi court on Wednesday to decide whether the Canadian – who co-wrote Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace – should be freed pending further investigations by Italian police.
Later, an Italian judge rejected a request for house arrest release. The suspect will need to stay in Italy during the ongoing investigation.
The details of the seven page memo, which he claimed he wrote for his lawyer and was seven pages long, were published by local media.
Haggis stated that the couple had only spoken briefly in Monte Carlo. Haggis also claimed that she wanted to appear in James Bond films. Later, Haggis posted a picture of her with him and said it was an honor to meet.
He described the time they first met at Ostuni in June, and how they drove together to their hotel. She then began to ‘kisses’ him.
In the memo, Haggis claims that the pair had sex following a shower. He also notes that they went out together before the Allora Film Festival in Ostuni where he was a guest along with his daughter.
He told his lawyer that the woman had ‘insisted’ on holding his hand – which he said he was not comfortable with – and she had been left upset by his reaction.
He claimed that the couple had had consensual sexual sex once more, and the next day Haggis stated that he was leaving her because he had a work appointment. Haggis also said that he met up with his friends the night before, which is when they had their second meeting, according to his leaked statements.
On June 14, he said that the woman was back out with friends, and returned drunk. After refusing to have sex, he started telling him how she would become Bond’s next girl.
The woman then claims that Haggis drove her to Brindisi airport the next morning to catch her return flight to Stansted. She asked for money, but he declined and she fled.
Haggis was responsible for screenplays in Quantum of Solace blockbusters Daniel Craig and Casino Royale. He also won an Oscar for his screenplay for Crash (2004).
Her condition was so bad that staff had to call the police. They found out she’d been in jail for the past three days, and were forced to have sex.
Officer located him at his hotel.
According to Mr Laforgia, officers misunderstood the results of the medical reports and claimed that the couple knew each other so the sex was voluntary.
Haggis wrote, directed and produced Crash. The film won both the Academy Awards and Best Screenplay awards in 2006. Also, Haggis wrote screenplays for Million Dollar Baby (another Oscar nominee).
Recent legal troubles have been faced by him due to allegations of sexual misconduct made against him in 2004 by four American women.
An external view of the Brindisi law court, with the judge set to rule on whether Haggis can be set free pending possible additional investigation
Haggis co-wrote and directed Crash and was awarded the Academy Awards in 2006 for best picture, best screenplay and director. Haggis and his attorneys are pictured together outside of the court in Italy. Haggis scans through the metal detectors at Brindisi’s law court in southern Italy.
Tonight Judge Vanda Gili said that he had to be allowed to leave Italy. He also ordered that the hearing with the lady who was already permitted to remain would take place later in the month.
Mail Online was informed by Mr Laforgia that Mr Haggis had been placed under house arrest. However, it is important to note that the judge did not order Mr Haggis’s detention.
“We emphasize that the accused has denied all the allegations. We hope that there will soon be clarity and that he can be freed.
“Mr. Haggis replied to all questions of the judge. He has the aid to stay in the country for as long as it is necessary to prove that he is innocent.”
He stated: “Paul Haggis’ Defender denies that the text partly published in a paper corresponds with the statements that will be made by the suspect in interrogation before Preliminary Investigators Judge of Brindisi.”
“The sentences in the quoted sentence were extrapolated from Mr Haggis’ confidential and secret note before he was detained. This is open violation of confidentiality and private correspondence that are protected under criminal law, the Italian Constitution, and the European Convention on Human Rights.
“For this violation Mr. Haggis reserves the right to take all legal actions before competent authorities.”
Haggis was accused of sexual violence.