Roman Polanski: Swiss police probing new under-age rape accusation

SWISS police are investigating new under-age sex allegations against Roman Polanski after a German woman accused the film director of raping her in the 1970s.

French-polish film director Roman Polanski is facing new allegations of raping a 15-year-old girl in the 1970s at his home in the Swiss town of Gstaad. Picture: Ennio Leanza/Keystone via AP

SWISS police confirmed Tuesday they were investigating new rape allegations against Roman Polanski made by a woman who said the filmmaker assaulted her in the town of Gstaad in 1972.

Renate Langer, who was interviewed by police last week, claimed Polanski had shown interest in casting her in 1972 and invited her to his house in Gstaad, near Montreux, where he allegedly raped her in a bedroom. She was 15 at the time.

Police and the state prosecutor’s office in St Gallen say Langer, 61, issued the complaint at a city police station on September 26.

Police spokesman Florian Schneider said it was unclear why Langer filed the complaint in the city as Gstaad is inside the judicial jurisdiction of the Bern region.

The St Gallen prosecutor’s office said the case will be transferred to the “appropriate authorities” in Bern.

Langer is a 61-year-old former actor who was born in Munich, according to multiple media reports.

(FThis file photo taken on August 21, 1970 shows shows US Playboy Magazine publisher Hugh Hefner (top, 2nd L), film director Roman Polanski (top), his girlfriend actress Barbara Benton (first row, L) and other playmates arriving at Le Bourget airport with the Playboy jet "Big Bunny". Picture: AFP

The Polish-born filmmaker fled the US in 1978 after pleading guilty to having unlawful sex with Samantha Geimer when she was 13. He fled the country on the eve of sentencing.

Langer is the fourth woman to publicly accuse Polanski of sexual assault.

In August, a woman identified only as Robin told a news conference in Los Angeles she was “sexually victimised” by the legendary French-polish film director when she was 16, in 1973.

Robin said she was prompted to come forward out of anger after Geimer urged authorities to finally put her famous case to rest.

“Robin” speaks regarding Roman Polanski during press conference earlier this year in Los Angeles, California. Picture: Frederick M. Brown / Getty

Robin told reporters she wanted people to know that Polanski, now 84, had victimised others.

According to The New York Times, Langer finally decided to approach police in part because of Robin’s example and because her parents are no longer alive.

She told the paper she met Polanski while working as a model in Munich and travelled with him to a house in Gstaad, where she said he raped her.

Hanspeter told AFP it was not yet clear if criminal charges would be filed. Swiss prosecutors can still move forward with the case, although the elapsed time makes it less likely.

Polanski’s film career has continued to flourish since he fled the US for France, where many consider him an icon.

He has eight Cesars — the French equivalent of an Oscar — as well as a best director Academy Award for Holocaust drama The Pianist.