Kevin Spacey flirted with a 19-year old John Barrowman in 1986 and lay on a bed with him but “nothing inappropriate” occurred, a US court has heard.

The American actor took Mr Barrowman to his apartment along with a teenage Anthony Rapp who has brought a civil action against Mr Spacey in New York.

The Torchwood star, a high-school friend of Mr Rapp’s, had been staying with him when they met the Hollywood actor backstage at a New York theatre.

The court heard the encounter had come before another alleged incident in which Mr Rapp, who was 14 at the time, claims he was the victim of an “unwanted sexual advance” by Mr Spacey at a party.

This allegation, which Mr Spacey has “categorically denied”, is the subject of the New York lawsuit.

On Tuesday, the court heard Mr Spacey had invited both Mr Barrowman and Mr Rapp for dinner after they were introduced, and later to the city’s The Limelight club.

Mr Spacey’s lawyer, Jennifer Keller, said that her client’s attention had been on Mr Barrowman throughout the evening, and that “nothing inappropriate” had occurred.

Mr Spacey had “not offered (Mr Rapp) alcohol” and the pair had never been alone together, Ms Keller told the court – which Mr Rapp accepted.

Asked if he believed he had been “seen as a tagalong” during the evening, Mr Rapp replied “no”.

Ms Keller also quoted part of a deposition by Scottish-American actor Mr Barrowman, which has not yet been made public, that stated that after going back to Mr Spacey’s apartment the pair had lain on the bed but had not engaged in any sexual activity because of Mr Rapp’s presence.

The court heard that Mr Barrowman had later sent Mr Spacey flowers and the pair had stayed in contact, with Mr Spacey often calling Mr Barrowman and his mother, which she “enjoyed”.

Ms Keller said that Mr Rapp had tried to portray Mr Spacey as “a harasser and a stalker” due to these phone calls.

Earlier, Mr Rapp finished giving evidence, which he had begun on Friday, saying he “never wanted a career like Kevin Spacey’s” and was “proud and grateful” for his own.

But he added he felt it was his “duty” as an actor to watch the Hollywood star’s work, despite the alleged incident at the party in 1986.

“I’m an actor and I love films – these films were acclaimed and award-winning,” he said.

“I felt it was part of my job to see them, I knew he was in them so I could prepare myself.

“I felt like it was my duty as a fellow actor, as a person, as part of this community – I had to push it aside.”

The case is expected to take two weeks and is being held in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, presided over by Judge Lewis A Kaplan.

In a US civil case any allegations only need to be proven “on the balance of probability”, rather than to the criminal standard of “beyond all reasonable doubt”.