Bill Cosby lawyers ask judge to throw out defamation case from three women he branded liars

Lawyers acting for Bill Cosby have asked a judge to throw out a defamation case filed by three women accusing him of sexual abuse.

The actor has been accused of multiple sexual assaults by over two dozen women dating as far back as the 1970s.

The three alleged victims say Cosby publicly branded them as liars as he tried to defend himself against claims, according to the Associated Press.

But Cosby's lawyers said the actor was merely acting in self-defence as his character was under attack.

"The law does not require that one stand idly by while he is publicly attacked," his lawyers argue in their 38-page filing. "Instead the law entitles an individual who is accused of serious wrongdoing to rebut the allegations without facing defamation claims."

Joseph Cammarata, the lawyer representing all three women said: "We believe that the law provides that when you make a public statement about an individual, it must be truthful.”

The actor has strenuously denied all of the allegations made against him, both personally and through his lawyer, Marty Singer.

Cosby was most recently accused of drugging and raping film executive Cindra Ladd in the sixties.

Cosby, who starred as Dr. Cliff Huxtable in sitcom "The Cosby Show" from 1984 to 1992, has not been charged with any crime.