Culture 3 min read By Morgan Griffin
British comedian Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault
A London court found comedian Russell Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, while the actor's lawyer publicly confronted a journalist from The Sunday Times just outside the courthouse.
British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The verdict was announced on Thursday, 5 November, at Southwark Crown Court in London. The jury deliberated for approximately nine hours before returning seven verdicts. At the same time, Brand was acquitted of two other rape charges and one further count of attempted indecent assault. Brand, 51, denied all the charges.
The case concerns six women who reported incidents that took place between 1999 and 2009. The guilty verdict for rape relates to a 2009 incident involving a woman whom the actor met after a show at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. Among the sexual assault counts for which he was convicted are an incident in 2004 at a bar in London and a 2009 incident that took place in the presence of colleagues. The judge remanded Brand in custody, and a lengthy prison sentence is expected. Sentencing will take place on Monday, 9 November. The exact length of the sentence is not yet known, nor is it known whether an appeal will be filed.
The investigation that led to the trial began in September 2023, when Channel 4 Dispatches and The Sunday Times published material in which women described their experiences. Following these publications, other alleged victims also came forward with their accounts. The Metropolitan Police in London is also investigating two further rape allegations against Brand. Materials concerning these incidents have been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, but the outcome of the further police inquiries is currently unknown. The verdict at Southwark therefore does not close all lines of investigation related to the comedian.
Following the verdict, Brand's lawyer Jan Winter KC reportedly confronted The Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin publicly just outside the courthouse. The details of the confrontation have not been confirmed, and at the time of writing there are no official comments from the parties about its content. The incident took place against the backdrop of a broad public debate about how the media covered the allegations against a well-known comedian who for many years was a prominent figure in British show business.
Brand, who worked as a comedian, presenter and actor, for years was well known to wide audiences in Britain and the United States. His case has now become one of the most high-profile court proceedings involving a public figure in London in recent years. The court considered charges spanning almost a decade, and each was examined separately, which led to the different verdicts: seven decisions, some finding guilt and others acquitting.
Source: deadline.com
8
