Mystery of Spacey's 4am phone 'con'

Kevin Spacey spoke today of his "incredible embarrassment" after telling police he had been mugged, then withdrawing the allegation.

The Oscar-winning actor was at the centre of a mystery after he told officers he was attacked and robbed of his mobile phone while walking his dog in a south London park at 4.30am on Saturday.

He reported the assault within 30 minutes and received hospital treatment for a minor head injury. However, hours later, he returned to the police station and withdrew the robbery claims.

Today Spacey, 44, said he wanted to "set the record straight". He explained that he had reported the "attack" after a young man conned him into handing over his mobile as he walked his dog near his home.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, he said he actually

injured himself when he tripped over his pet as he chased the man.

The American Beauty star said he told police he had been attacked in the hope that they would "run out and find this kid".

Spacey, who was made artistic director of London's Old Vic theatre last year, said: "I am very well and I am glad to set the record straight and to apologise.

"What actually happened is, I fell for a con. And I was incredibly embarrassed by it. Some sob story about somebody needing to call their mother and could they use my phone.

"It was such a good con I dialled the number myself and when somebody answered I handed [over] my phone. This kid took off and I was so upset I ran after him. I tripped up over my dog, and ended up falling on to the street and hitting my head. And now I'm bleeding relatively profusely - I'm extremely upset, I feel like the biggest fool that has ever lived.

"I march over to the police station and say I got mugged. And I'm thinking they are going to run out and find this kid a block later. They take me to the hospital, and they were very kind. That is one of the reasons I went back on Saturday morning to the police station.

"I woke up after a couple of hours' sleep and I thought, there is a difference between assault and theft and it just wasn't on for me to not come clean about my own level of embarrassment and being humble at the fact that I got taken by the oldest con going.

"I want to apologise to the police, and any readers and anyone who picks up this story thinking it is true. I'm fine. It is probably good that I got bumped on the head because obviously I wasn't thinking."

Asked what he was doing in the park at that time, Spacey admitted people might be wondering, but added: "My doggy had to go!"

He told police he was attacked in the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park in Lambeth. He is believed to have been treated for a head injury in the accident and emergency unit at St Thomas' Hospital. Scotland Yard confirmed that a man reported a robbery at 5am on 17 April and subsequently withdrew the allegation.

In the past the actor has denied rumours that he is gay. Four years ago he told an American magazine, She: "It's not that I want to create some mystique by maintaining a silence about my personal life. It's just that the less you know about me, the easier it is to convince you that I'm the character on the screen."