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British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and sexual assault by a London court, following a trial involving allegations from six women.
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, who was once one of Britain’s most prominent broadcasters, had denied all the allegations. He maintained that the sexual encounters were consensual or that the claims against him had been fabricated.
Judge Joel Bennathan said Brand would be sentenced on Monday and could face a lengthy prison term. He was taken into custody after the verdict.
Prosecutors described Brand as a “ruthless” sexual predator, arguing that he used his fame and influence to exploit women during the period covered by the charges, between 1999 and 2009.
The court heard evidence from six complainants, who are all entitled to lifelong anonymity. The women came forward after a television documentary and press reports in 2023 published allegations against the comedian.
One of the rape allegations for which Brand was convicted concerned an incident in 2009. The complainant told the court that she had visited his home days after meeting him following a comedy performance.
She said that although they initially had consensual sex, Brand subsequently raped her. She also told the court that he asked her to clean up the blood and mess afterwards.
Brand was also convicted of sexually assaulting a woman at a London bar in 2004 after approaching her at a party and grabbing her breasts.
Another conviction related to an incident in 2009, when he allegedly demanded a massage from a woman working on a promotional project before putting his head between her legs in front of two colleagues.
A fourth conviction concerned a woman who worked at a radio station in 2004 or 2005. She told the court that Brand sexually assaulted her in front of members of his entourage.
Reacting to the verdict, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police said the conviction reflected the courage and determination of the women who reported the incidents.
He said Brand had used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women, adding that his sense of entitlement grew alongside his public profile.
Brand rose from performing stand-up comedy in small venues to becoming a television presenter and Hollywood actor. He starred in films including Get Him to the Greek and Arthur and was formerly married to American pop star Katy Perry.
