Game of Thrones star appears in court over child sex offence
Game of Thrones star Joseph Gatt appeared in court after being charged with having sexually explicit chats online with a minor.
The 51-year-old, who played the character of Thenn Warg in the HBO drama, was accompanied by his long-time girlfriend Mercy Malick, 51, to the LA courtroom on Monday (October 2).
He also faces a second charge of felony possession of an assault weapon.
During the hearing, the LA Superior Court judge Enrique Monguia said the case would continue on December 4 because the prosecutor Michael Fern said ‘additional discovery is needed’ to move forward, according to the Daily Mail.
Gatt was arrested over the charge last April after the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) received information that he had ‘been engaged in online sexually explicit communication with a minor across state lines.’
He was arrested after the LAPD searched his Beverley Hills home. The force said in a statement at the time it was ‘seeking to identify any additional victims.’
The Thor actor has remained free on bail since the arrest 18 months ago after paying a $5,000 (£3,811) bond, according to TMZ.
In a statement shared on Twitter at the time, he responded to the allegations, describing them as ‘completely untrue’, while adding that he was cooperating with the LAPD ‘to get to the bottom of this’.
‘I obviously want to address the absolutely horrifying and completely untrue allegations recently leveled against me,’ he wrote.
‘They are 100% categorically wrong and reckless. I have confirmed errors and misleading information in today’s press release. I am fully cooperating with police and LAPD to get to the bottom of this. I look forward to clearing my good name.’
Gatt thanked his friends and followers for their support, adding: ‘Thank you to all of my friends and supporters who know that this is untrue and understand for legal reasons I cannot comment further on social media.’
Gatt was in three episodes of Game of Thrones in 2014 while in Thor, he portrayed Frost Giant Grundroth.
He starred as a science officer in the 2013 film Star Trek Into Darkness, and depicted Neils Skellig in the 2019 live-action adaptation of Dumbo.
Most recently, he played an intergang squad leader in The Rock film Black Adam.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Joseph Gatt’s representatives for comment.
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