Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault

LONDON — British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and sexual assault in a London court on Thursday. Brand, ⁠once ‌one of Britain’s most high-profile ‌broadcasters and the ‌former husband of ⁠singer Katy Perry, had denied the accusations, saying the incidents ‌had either ​been ‌consensual, reinvented ⁠or re-imagined. Brand, 51, was accused of three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. Ultimately he was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He ⁠was acquitted of ⁠the other charges. He had pleaded not guilty to all counts and consistently denied all of the allegations. The judge, Justice Joel Bennathan, told Brand in court that the consequence of the verdicts is a “significant custodial term” and said he would have to remain in prison until he is formally sentenced on Monday. “You’ve been convicted of a number of offenses including rape,” Bennathan said, adding that Brand inevitably faced a “significant” prison sentence. The maximum sentence for rape is life imprisonment and 10 years for one count of sexual assault, according to Britain’s Sentencing Council. An investigation into allegations of rape made by two women remains ongoing, a spokesperson for London’s Metropolitan Police said. The accusations date back to Brand’s rise as a stand-up comedian and risqué presenter on British television. He also had a prominent radio show on the BBC and authored several best-selling biographies where he detailed his addictions to drugs and alcohol. At the height of his fame, Brand featured in several Hollywood movies including: “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek.” His fame stateside was cemented when he briefly wed pop star Katy Perry in a lavish ceremony in India in 2010. The couple divorced in 2012. In recent years, Brand has moved away from mainstream media, relocated to Florida and built a large online following with videos that discuss U.S. politics, wellness, conspiracy theories and his newfound Christian faith. The four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London saw prosecutors label Brand “ruthless.” Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told jurors that Brand at the time had an “indiscriminate and voracious” desire for sexual contact, and that “women were simply a means to an end.” The prosecutor described Brand as “calculating, he was manipulative. And, the prosecution say, he was a sexual predator.” Brand was found guilty 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 he pressed his face into her groin during the recording of an advertisement in 2009. Prosecutors said the women do not know one another and separately went to police after a TV documentary was broadcast in Britain in 2023. His appearances outside the court, holding hands with his wife and flanked by security guards, made daily headlines in the British press. Last week, Brand took the stand and said the claims had made a “devastating” impact on his life, leaving him without a single friend or colleague who could testify on his behalf. “My entire life has been consumed by these events,” he said inside court, adding later that dealing with the “traumatic” allegations had come “at the expense of my marriage, my children and health.” He admitted in court to being sex obsessed as a young and famous man. “I have been persuasive, seductive, begging and flirting, and have dedicated a ​lot of my life to what seems now beyond reckless philandering and idiocy,” he told the court as he gave evidence last Wednesday. “I was in a position of fame. As I became more successful and famous I was ​very comfortable allowing that to facilitate sexual access, which I agree was wrong,” he added. Brand also told the court: “Consent is fundamental, essential, necessary and indeed more important than sex itself.” Brand’s wife, Laura Gallacher, also made headlines when she testified last week, stating that he was a “caring, kind and a wonderful father.” The couple married in 2017 and have three young children. Brand and his wife have been posting videos online where they analyze bible verses together and discuss their broad experiences of the trial. When the trial first got underway last month, Brand told a scrum of photographers and journalists that he felt “blessed.” He said he was “hopeful that this process will lead to good outcomes for everybody involved.” He added, “that’s my prayer.” In a statement after the verdict, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy from London’s Metropolitan Police said Brand had “used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women.” “As his profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement,” he said. Praising the victims for their “extraordinary courage,” he added: “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.” If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. The hotline, run by the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN), can put you in contact with your local rape crisis center. You can also access RAINN’s online chat service at rainn.org/get-help.