The American comedian Bill Cosby has admitted in a court deposition to obtaining Quaaludes with the intention of giving them to women he wanted to have sex with.

Cosby, aged 77, testified in 2005 that he gave the recreational sedative, developed in the 1950s as an unsuccessful treatment for malaria and illegal in the US for the last three decades, to at least one woman as well as "other people", according to documents obtained by Associated Press.

AP obtained a court order for the documents to be released and his lawyers, who are declining to comment on the new revelations, objected on the grounds that Cosby was not a public figure.

Judge Eduardo Robreno ruled however that because Cosby had "donned the mantle of public moralist", he had "voluntarily narrowed the zone of privacy that he is entitled to claim."

Cosby has never admitted to drugging any of the women who have accused him of doing so.

The 2005 testimony was given in a sex abuse lawsuit filed by Andrea Constant, former employee of Temple University in Philadelphia where Cosby was used for promotional advertising, fundraising and speech days. He testified he gave her three half-pills of the anti-histamine Benadryl. The suit was settled in 2006. Cosby resigned in December as a trustee at Temple.

In the sworn deposition, Cosby answered questions from Constand's attorney, Dolores Troiani.

Troiani said: "When you got the Quaaludes, was it in your mind that you were going to use these Quaaludes for young women that you wanted to have sex with?"

Cosby replied: "Yes."

Train then said: "Did you ever give any of those young women the Quaaludes without their knowledge?"

Cosby's attorney objected and told him not to respond.

Cosby has been accused by 36 women of sexual misconduct. Some allege that he drugged and raped them in incidents dating back more than 40 years. No criminal charges have ever been brought. Most of the allegations are barred by statutes of limitations.

Cosby's publicist David Brokaw said: "We have no plans to issue a statement."

Meanwhile, a bust of Cosby was been removed from the popular Disney Hollywood theme park in Florida in the wake of the latest revelations. It had been part of the Hall of Fame exhibit.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in Washington pledged to continue showing art on loan from Cosby and his wife, Camille. The museum is aware of the latest allegations but said it does not condone his behaviour and its displays are about art, and not the owners of the art.