Harvey Weinstein whistleblower and #MeToo activist Rose McGowan believes the movie mogul will never be prosecuted for rape because "it's deeper than what it looks like on the surface".

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After the pivotal New York Times investigation was published in October last year, McGowan publicly alleged that Weinstein had raped her in 1997.

Weinstein has denied the numerous allegations of non-consensual sexual encounters.

Asked about whether the #MeToo movement will make it easier to secure convictions, McGowan told Good Morning Britain: "I think you have to understand the judicial system is completely stacked against victims in any way, shape or form, in that most people cannot in fact seek justice that way.

"I think there should be specially trained police officers, and justices, and judges, that are specifically trained in sexual assault, sexual harassment and abuse, so they can understand it more.

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"Right now it's going into regular court systems... It's deeper than what it looks like on the surface, and I don't think Harvey Weinstein will ever be prosecuted for any rapes."

Harvey Weinstein

McGowan also suggested that men who lose their jobs over historic sex crimes deserve less sympathy.

"I think where it should be going, we have to understand that people freak out that people are losing their jobs, men are losing their jobs, but I'm like, yeah, they're criminals, and if they were poor they'd be in jail," she said.

"They haven't properly come out to try and defend themselves because they really can't because there's such overwhelming evidence. The onus is also on them, if they would like to come out and defend themselves and find due process for themselves, do it. They haven't because they cannot."

The actress, who starred as Paige Matthews in the TV series Charmed, spoke about the impact of Weinstein on her life and career.

Asked why she took a settlement rather than speaking out at the time, McGowan explained: "I didn't take part... there's a misnomer that I was offered money. I requested money. I requested, bless my young heart, thought $100,000 was very much a lot of money, and enough to buy a billboard which I tried to buy it to say 'Harvey Weinstein is a rapist', but they shut me down, surprisingly.

"And I was like, okay I never signed a non-disclosure agreement. I said if I hear of you doing this to another woman I will come for you. And it was 20 years ago and so I set about doing exactly what I said I would do."

Though she feels her Hollywood career was effectively ended by Weinstein after the incident, McGowan moved into television and waited for her moment.

"He never factored in the television portion of what I wound up doing," she told Piers Morgan, "because one, it was the only job I could get, but two, I realised that by taking a show called Charmed, I would have just enough newsworthy-ness around the world when it was time to strike."

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Good Morning Britain airs weekdays 6am-8:30am on ITV

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