Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault

The actor and comedian Russell Brand is found culpable of one count of rape y three counts of sexual assault.

The jury at Southwark Crown Court in London reached the verdict after two days of deliberations. The trial began about a month ago. There were seven charges of sexual crimes that Brand faced; In addition to the four already mentioned, he was found not guilty of two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. Brand strongly denied all charges, which were based on complaints filed by six women.

The charges and verdicts are detailed below.

HOW MANY YEARS COULD BRAND SPEND IN PRISON?

Judge Bennathan told Brand that he would receive a “considerable length of imprisonment” y ordered his entry into preventive detention pending sentencingwhich will be dictated on Monday. In the UK, a rape conviction can carry a sentence of life in prison.

The verdicts were read amid profound silence in the courtroom, after the judge asked those present not to react to the jury's decisions.

A few minutes after the verdicts were announced, the BBC reported that Brand is being investigated over other rape allegations made by two women. The Metropolitan Police has indicated that its investigation “remains ongoing.”

At the doors of the court, the detective superintendent in charge of the case, Andy Furphy, pointed out that Brand, protagonist of the rom-com Forgetting Sarah Marshall“used his influence, status and fame to exploit women and commit sexual crimes against them. “I hope this conviction sends a clear message: no one is above the law, no matter how famous or powerful they are.”.

All the women came forward after seeing allegations against Brand in a Channel 4 documentary in 2023 and reading about him in The Times. The allegations covered the period between 1999 and 2009, a period in which Brand went from being an unknown actor to achieving — in his own words — “amazing fame,” after beginning to date superstar Katy Perry.

THE CHARGES IN DETAIL

Charge 1, complainant 1: Rape

Complainant 1 alleged that she was raped by Russell Brand after meeting him on the sidelines of the Labor Party conference in 1999. The complainant invited Brand to her hotel room and alleged that he pushed her onto the bed and raped her. Brand, who was not famous in 1999, maintained that the encounter was consensual.

Verdict: Not guilty

Charge 2, Complainant 2: Attempted Indecent Assault

Complainant 2, a former MTV employee, accused Brand of trying to drag her into a toilet at the network's London offices in 2001. During the trial, Judge Bennathan changed the qualification of the charge from indecent assault to attempted indecent assault, considering that there was “insufficient evidence” to support the original accusation. Brand's defense maintained that he did not remember the incident, but denied that he had attempted to carry out any assault without consent.

Verdict: Not guilty

Charge 3, Complainant 3: Sexual Assault

Complainant 3 alleged that Brand “pounced on her and squeezed” her breasts just minutes after they met, in 2004, at a television producer's birthday party at the Nordic Bar in London. Brand denied having sexually assaulted complainant 3, who at the time worked at MTV.

Verdict: Culpable

Charge 4, Complainant 3: Rape

Complainant 3 alleged that Brand grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the bathrooms at the Nordic Bar. The woman claimed that Brand climbed onto the toilet bowl, exposed himself, forced his penis into her mouth and ejaculated. In his defense, Brand maintained that complainant 3 voluntarily accompanied him to the bathroom, where they both “kissed and became affectionate.” He denied raping the woman through oral penetration.

Verdict: Not guilty

Charge 5, Complainant 4: Sexual Assault

Complainant 4 alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Brand on a radio station in 2004 or 2005. She claimed that Brand “grabbed” her, pushed her against a wall, and kissed her in a “messy and aggressive” manner. Brand denied the incident occurred.

Verdict: Culpable

Count 6, Complainant 5: Rape

Complainant 5 alleged that she had been anally raped by Brand at his London home in 2009, a few days after meeting him backstage during one of his comedy shows, on which occasion she consensually performed oral sex on him. Complainant 5 reported that they had consensual vaginal intercourse at his house, before alleging that Brand placed her on all fours and penetrated her anally unexpectedly, after removing the condom. Brand claimed the anal sex was consensual.

Verdict: Guilty

Charge 7, Complainant 6: Sexual Assault

Complainant 6, a former Channel 4 employee, alleged that Brand demanded a massage from her and moved his head close to her genital area during a workplace incident in 2009. Brand stated in court that she had no recollection of the incident.

Verdict: Guilty