Washington, May 4 -- Tensions reached a boiling point during Harvey Weinstein's ongoing sexual assault trial in New York City, as former TV production assistant Miriam Haley gave a tearful and emotional testimony, calling the former filmmaker a "f---ing asshole" during cross-examination.

According to Variety, the heated exchange took place on Friday morning, as Weinstein's defence attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, pressed Haley on her decision to accept an invitation to meet the ex-producer at his SoHo apartment on July 10, 2006.

Bonjean's line of questioning centred on Haley's prior encounter with Weinstein, when he had unexpectedly arrived at her East Village home after she declined his invitation to attend Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week,...