Russell Brand told police he never had non-consensual sex

Published1 hour ago

Warning - this report contains graphic content

Warning - this report contains graphic content

Russell Brand told police in interviews in response to allegations of rape and sexual assault that he had been "very promiscuous" in the past, but had never engaged in "non-consensual sexual activity", a court has heard.

Brand, 51, was interviewed four times between 2023 and 2025 by officers.

The TV and media personality is currently on trial at Southwark Crown Court in London on three counts of rape and other offences. He denies all the charges.

Jurors heard on Tuesday that he gave a prepared statement in each of the police interviews. In November 2023, he said: "I have repeatedly stated publicly and written extensively that I led a very promiscuous life, that I have spent years openly denouncing. I have never engaged in non-consensual activity."

Brand went on to say the allegations were made in "a defamatory and fictitious documentary", which he said contained "false and anonymised" interviews.

He added that "subsequently both the media and the police publicly invited additional allegations to be made, which has resulted in further encounters to be invented or reimagined".

In court on Tuesday, the jury was also asked formally to find Brand not guilty of a charge of indecent assault.

The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, said there was "insufficient evidence to support the charge of indecent assault".

This charge related to a woman who said Brand grabbed her arm and tried to drag her into a toilet in 2001 when she worked at MTV.

The jury was then given an amended indictment, which charges Brand with attempted indecent assault. Brand has pleaded not guilty to this charge.

The prosecution will conclude on Wednesday morning before the defence is expected to start.

Brand denies three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault.

Russell Brand on Trial

You can follow the trial day by day on the BBC podcast Russell Brand on Trial - available on BBC Sounds, YouTube, iPlayer, or wherever you get your BBC podcasts

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Russell Brand