Andrea Constand, a former employee at Cosby's Philadelphia alma mater, Temple University, sued the actor in 2005 after claiming she had been drugged and abused by the star during an encounter in 2004.

Then-Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor failed to bring charges against Cosby, who denied the allegations, and the two parties eventually reached a confidential settlement.

However, the case has been back in the headlines over the past year as a slew of other women have come forward with similar accusations concerning the TV veteran's alleged inappropriate behaviour. Now that figure has soared to more than 50 alleged victims, and Castor has been forced to defend his position as he fights for election to regain his seat.

According to Constand, Castor defamed her by reportedly suggesting she failed to convey the seriousness of the alleged attack to police, compared to the incident she described in her 2005 lawsuit.

She filed papers in a Pennsylvania court on Monday (26Oct15), claiming she had become "collateral damage" in Castor's political bid.

Cosby, who maintains his innocence, has never been charged with any crime relating to the mounting allegations.