Russell Brand Convicted of Rape and Sexual Assault

Actor and comedian Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and sexual assault by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London. The verdict was delivered on Thursday, announcing Brand guilty of raping a woman in 2009 and assaulting three others.

Judge Joel Bennathan confirmed that Brand will face a prison sentence. Initially, Brand faced charges of three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one charge of attempted indecent assault. On Thursday, he was acquitted of two rape charges and the attempted indecent assault charge.

“You’ve been convicted of a number of offences including rape,” Judge Bennathan told Brand. “The consequence of that is inevitably a significant custodial term. My current view is that I therefore have to remand you into custody.”

The charges stemmed from allegations made by six women over a period from 1999 to 2009. A jury of eight men and four women deliberated for over eight hours across two days before reaching a verdict. They found Brand guilty of several offenses, including an incident in London’s Soho neighborhood in 2004, an assault at Choice FM in 2004 or 2005, and a rape at his Hampstead home in 2009.

The prosecutor described Brand as a “ruthless, calculating, manipulative sexual predator.” Brand, who pleaded not guilty, testified that he never forced anyone against their will and considered consent non-negotiable. He acknowledged his past promiscuity and expressed that the case profoundly affected him and his family.

Brand’s defense team argued that the victims’ credibility was compromised by delayed police reports, particularly following a 2023 documentary with anonymous allegations against him. Brand claimed these accusations were part of a targeted attack due to his online influence as a wellness influencer and political commentator. The women featured stated their decision to speak was influenced by his online fame and confidence gained from speaking to reporters.

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy from London’s Metropolitan Police praised the women for their courage and resilience in coming forward. He asserted that Brand used his fame and status to exploit women and that the conviction underscores that fame does not exempt anyone from legal accountability.

The case attracted contributions from reporters Emmet Lyons and Kerry Breen.