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A jury of eight men and four women has been sworn in at Southwark Crown Court for the trial of Russell Brand. The comedian denies seven charges of rape, sexual assault, and indecent assault against six women.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
A jury has been selected for the trial of Russell Brand, who faces charges of rape and sexual assault. The 51-year-old comedian denies all charges, which involve six women and span allegations from 1999 to 2009. The trial is taking place at Southwark Crown Court in London.
On Tuesday, eight men and four women were sworn in as jurors, along with one reserve juror. The selection process began on Monday with 50 prospective jurors. According to The Independent, the judge excused six potential jurors who indicated they had seen a Channel 4 documentary or read a newspaper article in 2023 concerning allegations against Brand.
Mr Justice Bennathan instructed the selected jurors to ignore past reporting and not to conduct any research on the case. "Heaven knows what’s out there," Bennathan said on Tuesday. "If you want to, you could go and have a look – but only once you have returned your verdicts."
Brand faces three charges of rape, three charges of sexual assault, and one charge of indecent assault. The Independent reports that the accusations include allegations of raping a woman in a hotel room at the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, grabbing a TV worker’s breasts, and forcing her into a sex act in a toilet. The charges also include allegations of kissing and groping a radio station worker.
The criminal charges follow an investigation launched by the Metropolitan Police after a joint media report by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4's "Dispatches" was published in September 2023, according to Yahoo. Crown prosecutors first charged Brand in April 2025, with additional charges filed in December 2025. Brand has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Brand arrived at court on Tuesday just after 9.20am. He wore a double-breasted grey suit, an unbuttoned shirt, brown boots, and sunglasses. As he walked up the steps to the courthouse, he said "blessed, thank you very much" to photographers and members of the press. His wife, Laura Gallacher, who accompanied him on Monday, did not attend on Tuesday.
Brand rose to fame in the 2000s as a television presenter and comedian, hosting shows such as the 2007 Brit Awards and Comic Relief. He later appeared in Hollywood films including "Get Him to the Greek" and "Rock of Ages." In recent years, he has focused on podcasting and online content.
The trial represents a significant legal proceeding for Brand, who has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation and court proceedings. In a video posted to X, Brand stated, "But what I never was was a rapist. I've never engaged in nonconsensual activity." The case highlights the ongoing legal scrutiny of historical sexual misconduct allegations against public figures. Additionally, Brand is a defendant in a separate civil case alleging sexual assault, as reported by UPI.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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