Bill Cosby hits back at sex assault accusers with counter-lawsuit

Comedian Bill Cosby is suing seven women who accused him of assaulting them, claiming they defamed him. They are among 50 who have come forward to accuse the actor of sexually assaulting them after plying them with drugs and alcohol. In the countersuit, filed in US district court in Springfield, Massachusetts, Cosby says the seven lied when they made their accusations. The 78-year-old, best known for his role in the 1980s television hit The Cosby Show, has repeatedly denied doing anything wrong and has never been criminally charged.

Such a tactic will not deter courageous women from fighting the battle against him.

Gloria Allred, who represents several other women suing Cosby

The countersuit contends that the women defamed his “honourable legacy and reputation” by accusing him of sexual misconduct. It says: “Relying solely on unsubstantiated accusations, counterclaim defendants have engaged in a campaign to assassinate Mr Cosby’s reputation and character by willfully, maliciously, and falsely accusing Mr Cosby of multi-decade-old purported sexual misconduct." Many of the assaults he is alleged to have committed occurred decades ago so the statute of limitations for prosecuting them has elapsed.

Celebrity Bill Cosby