United Kingdom, March 10 -- Harvey Weinstein claims he was violently assaulted while serving his prison sentence.

The 73-year-old disgraced former movie producer convicted of rape and sexual assault in cases brought in New York and Los Angeles, described the incident and his daily life in custody during a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter -telling a US publication he was "punched hard in the face" and left bleeding on the floor while incarcerated.

Weinstein is currently being held at Rikers Island while awaiting a retrial on charges relating to the alleged rape of an actress at a hotel in Manhattan.

In the interview, he described prison life as isolating and dangerous, saying he spends most of his time confined to his cell and ...