Russell Brand convicted of rape and sexual assault in London

A jury in London found British comedian and actor Russell Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault on Thursday. He was acquitted of two rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault. The trial concerned allegations of sexual offences against six women between 1999 and 2009.

Conviction and sentencing

Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand he would receive a "significant" prison sentence and remanded him in custody ahead of sentencing on Monday, Nov. 9. Brand, 51, was accompanied by his wife, Laura, during the trial.

The convictions included a rape that took place in 2009, involving a victim who went to Brand's home after meeting him at one of his shows. She said she had engaged in consensual sex, but that Brand then raped her and removed a condom in the process.

Brand was also convicted of sexually assaulting a woman when he grabbed her breasts at a London bar in 2004. He was found guilty over an incident in 2009 in which he demanded a woman give him a massage in front of two of his colleagues and then put his head in her groin. A third complaint of sexual assault ended in a guilty verdict when Brand was found guilty of pushing a woman who worked at a radio station up against a wall and forcibly kissing her.

Brand denied the charges and said he had never forced anyone to do something against their will.

Police statement and further allegations

Following the verdict, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police Service said: "Today's verdict is first and foremost a testament to the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward and reported what happened to them."

The statement added: "Brand used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women."

The Metropolitan Police Service said Brand remains under investigation over two further rape allegations. The suspect has previously been interviewed under caution in connection with the allegations, and Brand has not been charged in relation to these claims.

Sir Mark Rowley, head of the Met Police, urged any other victims to contact the police. He said: "There's two more rape allegations that we're looking at. We're encouraging anybody else to come forward if there's any other allegations." He later said that he "wouldn't be surprised if many, many more come forward."

Books withdrawn

Pan Macmillan and Hodder & Stoughton have confirmed they have pulled Russell Brand's books from sale. Pan Macmillan is withdrawing two titles: Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions, published in 2017, and Mentors: How to Help and Be Helped, published in 2019. Hodder & Stoughton also confirmed it has withdrawn books by Brand from sale, including his memoir My Booky Wook, published in 2007.

Waterstones said it has removed title listings from its website following confirmation from the publishers. Only a handful of copies remain in shops, which will be returned to the publisher in due course.

Brand's most recent book, How to Become a Christian in Seven Days, remains available to buy. It was published in May by Tucker Carlson Books, an imprint set up by the former Fox News host with the US publisher Skyhorse.

Why it matters

The conviction follows allegations made by six women spanning from 1999 to 2009, all of whom came forward to police following a TV documentary and press reports in 2023. The case involves a well-known British comedian and actor, and major publishers have removed his books from sale after the verdict.

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Sources

• yahoo.com: Russell Brand faces 'significant' prison sentence after rape and sexual assault conviction
• theguardian.com: Russell Brand books withdrawn by UK publishers after his conviction for rape and sexual assault | Books | The Guardian

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.