A London jury has found British comedian Russell Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The offences, which were delivered as unanimous verdicts at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, involved four women in total. Brand, 51, showed no emotion as the verdicts were read, though he had his eyes closed when the proceedings began. He was cleared of two additional charges of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The events occurred between 2005 and 2009 at various locations, including a radio station, the set of a DVD recording, and Brand’s own home. Throughout the four-week trial, Brand had pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintaining that his past sexual encounters were consensual despite his history of promiscuity. The prosecution characterized the former actor and online guru as a “ruthless, calculated and manipulative” sexual predator.
Following the conviction, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police stated that Brand had used his “influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women.” Senior prosecutor David Roberts described the behaviour as “predatory,” noting that Brand used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes. Outside the court, authorities paid tribute to the victims, commending the “extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward.”
Judge Joel Bennathan has remanded the 51-year-old in custody, stating that he faces a “significant custodial term.” While Brand’s lawyer, Ian Winter, requested that his client be granted bail over the weekend to “put his affairs in order” and say goodbye to his three young children, the judge refused the request, citing concerns that Brand possessed “considerable resources” and might not return to face his sentence. Brand, who was briefly married to US pop star Katy Perry, was seen signalling to his defence team that he was “good” before being led away. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, with the maximum penalty for rape in the UK being life imprisonment. During the trial, it was also revealed that Brand faces separate, unrelated accusations of raping two other women, including a 16-year-old girl, though these were not part of the current proceedings.
