(Vancouver) A Vancouver woman has filed a civil lawsuit against Paramount Pictures and punk rocker Stephen Jones of the Sex Pistols, alleging he sexually assaulted her while she was an extra in a film more than 40 years ago .
The plaintiff’s statement of claim filed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia indicates that she was 14 years old and working on the film “Ladies & Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains” when Stephen Jones supplied her with marijuana before sexually assault her in her hotel room.
The court put a publication ban into effect to protect the woman’s identity. His lawyer, Jason Gratl, said in an interview that he could not explain why the lawsuit was filed 44 years after the alleged events.
The notice of claim filed Wednesday alleges that Paramount failed to take adequate steps to warn minors or their parents of the risks of working on set with Stephen Jones or impose contractual conditions restricting Mr. Jones’ contact with the young extras and his drug use.
None of the allegations have been brought to court.
Paramount did not immediately respond to an interview request. Mr Jones could not be reached for comment. Neither Paramount nor Stephen Jones has filed a statement of defense.
The suit states that Paramount hired Mr. Jones, who was 24 at the time, for a role in the film because of his reputation as a “punk rocker” who used excessive amounts of drugs and alcohol and had previously sexually assaulted underage girls.
“Defendant Paramount relied on Defendant Mr. Jones’ reputation and history to market ‘The Fabulous Stains,'” the statement said, adding that the company “also hired other well-known punk rock musicians in the same goal.
The press release mentions that despite this information, the company has not taken any measures to protect young workers.
The film is about disaffected teenagers in a punk rock band and was released in 1982.
The suit says the woman is seeking damages, saying the alleged assault “caused her psychological injuries, including loss of self-esteem, damaging self-image and identity, and loss of confidence in one’s privacy and towards potential partners.
The suit says she was hired along with hundreds of other extras playing the role of fan of an all-female, feminist rock band. Stephen Jones was hired to play the role of “an unstable punk rock guitarist in a fictional all-male band, The Looters.”
On April 13, 1980, the teenager allegedly went to the Denman Inn, “a place under the direction and control” of Paramount, with the intention of inviting the film’s lead actress, Diane Lane, to go ice skating. casters.
When she entered the foyer, Stephen Jones allegedly approached her and told her he had Diane Lane’s phone number in his hotel room and asked her to come with him to pick it up. Once in her room, Mr. Jones allegedly gave the teenager marijuana, then turned off the lights and closed the curtains.
The document claims she understood Mr Jones was likely to make sexual advances. She told him she didn’t consent and that she was “only 14, 1-4.” Despite this, he allegedly pulled her onto her bed, then climbed on top of her to kiss and assault her.
“Plaintiff repeatedly said ‘no’ to Defendant Jones and tried to move his hand away, eventually breaking free of him and leaving the room,” the notice of claim states.
The suit says she was initially “both repulsed and flattered by this unwanted sexual attention from someone she believed to be a rock and movie star.”
The document states that she did not tell her parents because she was confused, and that it was not until she was older that she “felt sexually violated, sexually ashamed and in anger” over the alleged assault.