Harvey Weinstein accuser Kaja Sokola begins testimony in New York trial

Kaja Sokola, the new accuser at Harvey Weinstein's New York trial, has begun her testimony.

The ex-model, who was an aspiring actor when she met the former Hollywood producer, is the second accuser to take the stand, following last week's testimony from former TV production assistant Miriam Haley.

Sokola told the courtroom about her life before meeting Weinstein, including her upbringing in Wroclaw, Poland.

Sokola's older sister had already testified about a 2006 lunch meeting the two had with Weinstein at a Manhattan hotel. Ewa Sokola recalled that at one point, Sokola and Weinstein took a lift upstairs together while she remained at the table, waiting for 30 minutes to an hour.

When asked by the defence during cross-examination whether Sokola had said anything negative about Weinstein before 2017, her sister responded in the negative. "She was proud of knowing him," she told the courtroom.

In September last year, Weinstein was indicted on an additional sex crimes charge after the then-unidentified Sokola accused Weinstein of performing oral sex on her in a Manhattan hotel.

Sokola's attorney said in a statement, "Today, Kaja Sokola took the stand to share her truth. Nearly two decades ago, Kaja was a teenager, vulnerable to the power and influence of Harvey Weinstein, a wealthy 54-year-old Hollywood mogul. As you will hear from Kaja, he made sure she understood his control over her future, telling her he had the power to make or break careers. Now, she faces him in open court, reclaiming her voice and her story."