LONDON — British comedian and actor Russell Brand was found guilty of rape and sexual assault Thursday by a London court.
Brand, once “one of Britain’s most high-profile broadcasters” and the former husband of singer Katy Perry, had denied the accusations, saying the incidents “were ‘consensual, reimagined’ or reimagined.”
Brand, 51, was charged with three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. Ultimately, he was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was acquitted of the other charges.
He had pleaded not guilty to all charges and had consistently denied all allegations.
The judge, Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand the consequence of the verdicts was a “significant prison sentence” and said he should remain in prison until he is formally sentenced on Monday.
“You have been convicted of several crimes, including rape,” Bennathan said, adding that Brand inevitably faced a “significant” prison sentence.
The maximum sentence for rape is life imprisonment and 10 years for one count of sexual assault, according to Britain’s Sentencing Council.
The accusations date back to Brand’s rise as a risky stand-up comedian and presenter on British television. He hosted a major BBC radio show and is the author of several bestselling biographies in which he details his drug and alcohol addictions.
At the height of his fame, Brand featured in several Hollywood films, including: “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek.”
His fame in the United States was cemented when he briefly married pop star Katy Perry in a lavish ceremony in India in 2010. The couple divorced in 2012.
In recent years, Brand has moved away from mainstream media, moving to Florida and building a large online following with videos that discuss American politics, wellness, conspiracy theories and his newfound Christian faith.
The four–The week-long trial at Southwark Crown Court in London saw prosecutors brand Brand “ruthless”.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told jurors that at the time Brand had a “blind and voracious” desire for sexual contact and that “women were only a means to an end”. The prosecutor described Brand as “a calculating, a manipulator. And, according to the prosecution, he was a sexual predator.”
One woman claimed Brand raped her in a seaside hotel room in 1999, another said he tried to drag her into the men’s toilet in 2001 at the London office of music channel MTV, where they both worked. He was found not guilty in court on Thursday.
A third claimed that Brand orally raped her in 2004 in the toilets of a London bar, and a fourth said Brand kissed and groped her at a London radio station in 2004 or 2005.
Another woman said Brand anally raped her at his home after meeting him at one of his shows in 2009, while the sixth said Brand asked for a massage and pressed his face against his groin while recording a commercial in 2009.
Prosecutors said the women did not know each other and spoke separately to police after a television documentary was broadcast in Britain in 2023.
His appearances in court, hand in hand with his wife and accompanied by security agents, made daily headlines in the British press.
Last week, Brand spoke out and said the allegations had a “devastating” impact on his life, leaving him without a single friend or colleague who could testify on his behalf.
“My entire life has been consumed by these events,” he said in court, later adding that the handling of the “traumatic” allegations had come “at the expense of my marriage, my children and my health.”
He admitted in court to being obsessed with sex when he was a young and famous man.
“I have been persuasive, seductive, begging and flirting, and have devoted much of my life to what now seems to go beyond reckless flirting and idiocy,” he told the court during his testimony last Wednesday.
“I was in a position of glory. As I became more successful and famous, I was very comfortable allowing it to facilitate sexual access, which I agree was a mistake,” he added.
Brand also told the court: “Consent is fundamental, essential, necessary and even more important than sex itself. »
Brand’s wife, Laura Gallacher, also made headlines when she testified last week, saying he was a “caring, kind, wonderful father.” The couple married in 2017 and have three young children.
Brand and his wife have posted videos online in which they analyze Bible verses together and discuss their extensive experiences from the trial.
When the trial began last month, Brand told a scrum of photographers and reporters that he felt “blessed.” He said he “hopes this process will produce good outcomes for everyone involved.”
He added: “That’s my prayer.”
In a statement after the verdict, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of London’s Metropolitan Police said Brand had “used his influence, status and fame to sexually exploit and offend women”.
“As his profile grew, so did his sense of entitlement,” he said.
Praising the victims for their “extraordinary courage”, he added: “Despite intense media and public scrutiny, they relived deeply personal and traumatic experiences and placed their trust in us. Without their courage, this outcome would not have been possible.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. The hotline, run by the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), can connect you with your local rape crisis center. You can also access RAINN’s online chat service at rainn.org/get-help.
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