Harvey Weinstein has asked a judge to dismiss a federal sexual misconduct lawsuit against him, saying the alleged assaults took place too long ago.

Weinstein’s lawyers filed a response in federal court in New York, saying the possible class-action case should be rejected and invoked the words of a number of A-list actresses in his defence.

His attorneys cite comments by Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence in support of Weinstein.

They say Gwyneth Paltrow worked with Weinstein and won an Oscar after he was accused of harassing her in an earlier project.

The lawsuit was filed by six women who claim Weinstein and his former film companies conspired to conceal his widespread sexual harassment and assaults.

Representatives of the actresses named in the response did not immediately comment.

More to come