A London jury at Southwark Crown Court found Russell Brand guilty on Thursday of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, according to The Guardian. The 51-year-old comedian, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, was remanded into custody following the verdict and is scheduled to be sentenced this coming Monday. The conviction follows a four-week trial regarding allegations involving six women between 1999 and 2009.
Jury Reaches Decision After Four-Week Trial
The jury of eight men and four women reached their decision after deliberating for eight hours and 30 minutes. The court proceedings, which lasted four weeks, saw each of the six complainants testify independently. Due to protections afforded to sexual assault victims in the U.K., all six women have a lifelong right to anonymity.
During proceedings, the court heard from witnesses including Brand’s former assistant, Helen Berger, who testified regarding his insane sexual appetite.
Karmy-Jones further rejected suggestions that the women had been influenced by media coverage to invent, reimagine, recharacterize, recast
their encounters, asserting that the women were rational and independent.
Consent is fundamental, essential, necessary, and in many ways, more important than sex itself,
Brand told the court. His barrister, Ian Winter, argued that the prosecution’s case was thoroughly contaminated
by the September 2023 Channel 4 Dispatches documentary and reports from the Sunday Times, which Winter claimed invited the accusers to come forward. Winter also questioned why the women had not screamed, kicked, or slapped Brand during the alleged encounters, arguing that being rude or acting like a crazy idiot
during sex is not a crime if consent exists.
Specific Incidents and Claims
The jury heard evidence of several specific incidents. One complainant alleged that in 2004, at a birthday party for a TV producer at London’s Nordic Bar, Brand lunged and squeezed
her breasts. She further claimed he dragged her into a toilet, climbed onto the seat, exposed himself, and forced his penis into her mouth. Brand denied orally raping the woman, claiming she had willingly accompanied him to the toilet for a kiss and a cuddle.
Another woman alleged that in 2009, she met Brand backstage at a stand-up show and provided consensual oral sex, only for him to then anally rape her at his London home. She testified that she told him to stop a few times quietly and then really loudly,
and that when it was over, he told her, You need to clear up the mess you made.
Brand maintained the intercourse was consensual. A third complainant, a former Channel 4 employee, alleged that in 2009, Brand demanded a massage and placed his head into her genital area; Brand stated he could not recall the incident.
Judge Warns Defendant Faces Significant Custodial Term
As he was led away, Brand gestured to his lawyers that he was okay, repeatedly saying, I’m good, I’m good, I’m good.
Addressing the defendant, Judge Bennathan stated, You’ve been convicted of a numbers of offences, including one of rape. The consequence of that is a significant custodial term.
The judge also remarked on the impact of the case, noting, I regret the hardship caused to the children, of course. But the hardship has been caused by serious criminal offending by their father.
Metropolitan Police Investigation
The convictions follow a multi-year effort known as Operation Actinolite. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police praised the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination
of the victims. We kind of assumed that people might want to come forward, and people came forward,
Furphy said. He added that the focus remained on the victims, noting, They are courageous, determined women and our focus has always been on them, not Russell Brand.
The Metropolitan Police are currently investigating two additional rape allegations against Brand. One of these complaints involves a woman who was 16 at the time of the incident, while Brand was 30. Brand had previously admitted on the Megyn Kelly Show to dating a 16-year-old when he was 30, citing that the age of consent in the U.K. is 16. The force remains in contact with the Crown Prosecution Service as these inquiries continue.
Earlier coverage: Russell Brand Convicted of Rape and Three Counts of Sexual Assault