Rose McGowan: Harvey Weinstein accuser hands herself into police over ‘drugs offence’

Star previously suggested the warrant was an attempt to 'silence' her after she became one of dozens of women to publicly accuse Mr Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault

Rose McGowan, one of the high-profile accusers of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, has handed herself in to police over an alleged drug offence.

The actress, 44, was released on bail after surrendering to Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Virginia on Tuesday.

A warrant for her arrest was obtained after belongings left behind on a flight arriving at nearby Washington Dulles International Airport tested positive for illegal drugs, according to police.

The Planet Terror and Scream star previously suggested the warrant was an attempt to "silence" her after she became one of dozens of women to publicly accuse Mr Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault.

Kraig Troxell, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said: "She turned herself into the Loudoun County Adult Detention Centre which is in the same jurisdiction as the Dulles International Airport, who obtained the warrant.

"She saw a magistrate who released her on a 5,000 US dollar (£3,800) unsecured bond. At that point she would be printed, photographed and released."

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department obtained the arrest warrant after the alleged discovery on a United Airlines flight on January 20.

Last month, Ms McGowan tweeted: "Are they trying to silence me? There is a warrant out for my arrest in Virginia. What a load of HORSESHIT."

Ms McGowan said she had been raped by Weinstein after The New York Times published its bombshell investigation detailing allegations of sexual harassment and abuse at the hands the producer.

Mr Weinstein paid her a $100,000 (£76,000) settlement in 1997 to "avoid litigation and buy peace" over an incident in a hotel room during the Sundance Film Festival, according to the newspaper.

Mr Weinstein, 65, has "unequivocally denied" allegations of non-consensual sex.

He faces police investigations in Los Angeles, New York and London and has been sacked from The Weinstein Company, the studio he co-founded with his brother.

Seven women have told detectives in the UK that they were sexually assaulted by Mr Weinstein on dates ranging from the 1980s to 2015.

Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Lupita Nyong'o were among the high-profile actresses who came forward to publicly accuse him of sexual harassment.

PA