British comedian and actor Russell Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a London jury and was taken into custody ahead of sentencing.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
British comedian and actor Russell Brand was found guilty by a London jury on 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.
A jury of eight men and four women at Southwark Crown Court convicted Brand after deliberating for more than eight hours. The trial began in mid-October.
Brand was convicted of raping one woman in 2009. She said he anally raped her at his home after she met him at one of his shows. He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman whose breasts he grabbed at a party in 2004 and another woman who said he had kissed and groped her at a London radio station in 2004 or 2005. A third guilty verdict was delivered for the sexual assault of a woman who testified that Brand pressed his face into her groin during the recording of an advertisement in 2009.
Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand that the consequence of the verdicts is a "significant custodial term" and that he would have to remain in prison until he is formally sentenced Monday. The judge denied Brand's bail request, citing concerns he might flee.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police said Brand had "used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women." He added: "As his profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement."
Furphy praised the victims for their "extraordinary courage," saying: "Despite intense media and public scrutiny, they relived deeply personal and traumatic experiences and placed their trust in us. Without their bravery, this outcome would not have been possible."
David Roberts, senior Crown Prosecutor in the London Rape and Serious Sexual Assault Unit, said: "Russell Brand was predatory and used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes. ...Although his tactics varied, at the centre of every assault was an abuse of power and sexual greed, with a complete disregard for the impact of his actions."
Brand, 51, had denied the accusations, saying the incidents had been consensual, reinvented or reimagined. He was accused of three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The charges covered incidents between 1999 and 2009. Prosecutors said the women do not know one another and that they separately went to police after a TV documentary was broadcast in Britain in 2023.
The maximum sentence for rape is life imprisonment, and it is 10 years for one count of sexual assault, according to Britain's Sentencing Council. An investigation into allegations of rape made by two women continues, a spokesperson for London's Metropolitan Police said.
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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