Russell Brand charged with rape, sexual assault
Comedian Russell Brand charged with rape & sexual assault
British police on Friday charged Russell Brand with rape and sexual assault following an 18-month investigation sparked when four women alleged they had been assaulted by the controversial comedian. London’s Metropolitan Police force said Brand, 50, faces one count of rape, one of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two of sexual assault.
Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been charged with rape and sexual assault in London.
The charges are linked to four separate women, and the assaults reportedly happened between 1999 and 2005, The Associated Press reports.
Known for his unbridled and risqué standup routines, Brand hosted shows on radio and television, wrote memoirs charting his battles with drugs and alcohol, appeared in several Hollywood movies and was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012. In recent years, Brand has largely disappeared from mainstream media but has built up a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories.
Russell Brand charged
What we know:
The investigation began in 2023 after multiple media reports outlined serious allegations against Brand.
Comedian and actor Russell Brand attends the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
In a statement sent to BBC, Metropolitan Police in London said 50-year-old Brand was informed that he’s being charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault.
Authorities say the charges stem from the following incidents:
- 1999: A woman was raped in the Bournemouth area.
- 2001: A woman was "indecently assaulted" in the Westminster area of London.
- 2004: A woman was orally raped and sexually assaulted in the Westminster area of London.
- Between 2004 and 2005: A woman was sexually assaulted in the Westminster area of London.
Brand has since moved to the United States, the AP reports.
Brand responds to rape charges
What they're saying:
Brand, in a video posted on X, denied the allegations and thanks fans for their "incredible and overwhelming messages of support."
"We’re very fortunate, in a way, to live in a time where there’s so little trust in the British government. We’re very fortunate, I suppose, that this is happening at a time when we know that the law has become a kind of weapon to be used against people, institutions and sometimes entire nations that will not accept and tolerate levels of corruption that are unprecedented," Brand says in the video.
"I’ve always told you guys that when I was young and single, before I had my wife and family, I was a fool, man. I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord," he continued. "I was a drug addict, a sex addict, an imbecile. But what I never was, was a rapist. I’ve never engaged in nonconsensual activity, and I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes … I’m going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that."
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press and BBC.