Bill Cosby is planning to kick off a series of motivational "town halls" to educate young people about how to handle and avoid sexual assault allegations this summer, the embattled 79-year-old comedian's spokesperson revealed on Thursday (22 June).

The news comes just days after his sexual assault trial ended in a mistrial after a jury was unable to agree on a verdict over charges that he drugged and raped a woman in 2004.

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Over the past few years, nearly 60 women have come forward with similar accusations that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted them. Cosby has denied the allegations.

"Mr. Cosby wants to get back to work," spokesman Andrew Wyatt said on WBRC's 'Good Day Alabama' in Birmingham on Thursday.

"Because this is bigger than Bill Cosby. This issue can affect any young person, especially young athletes of today. And they need to know what they're facing when they're hanging out and partying, when they're doing certain things they shouldn't be doing."

"And it also affects married men," Wyatt added with a laugh.

Host Janice Rogers asked: "Is it kind of a 'Do as I say, not as I do' situation?"

Ebonee Benson, a spokeswoman for Cosby's wife Camille - who also appeared on the programme - said it is important that young people are informed about the issue.

"The laws are changing, the statute of limitations for victims of sexual assault are being extended, so this is why people need to be educated on a brush against the shoulder," she said. "Because anything at this point can be considered sexual assault and it is a good thing to be educated about the laws."

Wyatt noted that the "town halls" will take place in Birmingham, Alabama, sometime in July.

Twitter quickly exploded with fierce criticism to Cosby's planned town halls.

"Instead of teaching men to avoid the law we should teach men to respect women," filmmaker Jen Siebel Newsom tweeted. "This is a sick insult to his victims."

New York Times best-selling author Luvvie Ajayi tweeted: "Bill Cosby holding town halls about sexual assault is indisputable proof that he is a geriatric f**kboy. That takes some nerve."

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