British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a London court, following a trial involving allegations from six women. According to Al Jazeera, a jury at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday convicted the 51-year-old of one count of rape……
British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a London court, following a trial involving allegations from six women.
According to Al Jazeera, a jury at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday convicted the 51-year-old of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Brand, a former husband of American pop star Katy Perry, had denied all the allegations, maintaining that the sexual encounters were consensual or that the claims against him were fabricated.
Prosecutors described the comedian, known for his roles in Get Him to the Greek and Arthur, as a “ruthless” sexual predator.
Following the verdict, Judge Joel Bennathan said Brand would be sentenced on Monday and could face a lengthy prison term. The actor was taken into custody after the jury delivered its decision.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of London’s Metropolitan Police described the conviction as a significant development, praising the women who came forward.
He said the outcome was “a testament to the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward and reported what happened to them”.
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“Brand used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women,” Furphy added.
“As his profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement.”
The charges relate to incidents alleged to have occurred between 1999 and 2009, covering the period when Brand rose from performing stand-up comedy in small venues to becoming a television presenter and Hollywood actor.
During the trial, six women gave evidence against him. All the complainants are entitled to lifelong anonymity.
The women did not know one another but approached the police after a 2023 television documentary and media reports published allegations against Brand from other women.
One of the most serious allegations concerned an incident in 2009 involving a woman who had met Brand after attending one of his comedy performances.
The court heard that the woman had previously engaged in consensual sexual activity with him in his dressing room before visiting his home days later.
She testified that Brand raped her anally during what had begun as consensual sex. She also told the court that he subsequently instructed her to clean up the blood and mess.
Brand was also convicted of sexually assaulting a woman at a London bar in 2004. The complainant told the court that he approached her at a party and grabbed her breasts.
In another incident in 2009, he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman while they were working on a promotional project.
The court heard that Brand demanded a massage before putting his head between the woman’s legs in the presence of two of his colleagues.
He was further convicted of sexually assaulting a woman who worked at a radio station in 2004 or 2005. She told the court that the incident happened in front of members of his entourage.
Brand is expected to return to court on Monday for sentencing.
