NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Actor Cuba Gooding Jr, already facing a criminal case over accusations he touched a woman's breasts in a bar and pinched another's buttocks in a nightclub, has been charged in connection with a third woman.

He is expected to appear in court on Thursday (Oct 31) and plead not guilty to the charges, according to his lawyer Mark Heller.

The latter said the charges stemming from the third accuser were "similar" to those involving the other two women.

"Each accuser is totally fraudulent," Mr Heller noted, adding that there was video of all three alleged incidents exonerating his client.

Gooding, 51, won a best supporting actor Oscar in 1997 for the film Jerry Maguire.

He was previously charged with one count of forcible touching and one count of sexual abuse in connection with each of the first two accusers.

He pleaded not guilty on Oct 15.

Prosecutors said at the time that they hoped to establish a pattern of behaviour at Gooding's trial using testimony from 12 additional women.

They have said they were subjected to unwanted touching and advances by the actor in bars and clubs.

It was not clear whether the accuser behind the new charges is one of the 12.

Gooding, who is divorced, is one of dozens of men in politics, entertainment, sports and the business world who have been accused of sexual misconduct since allegations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein triggered the #MeToo movement.

Weinstein is scheduled to stand trial in New York in January on charges of rape and assault involving two women.