Comedian charged with rape and sexual assault of women

COMEDIAN Russell Brand has been charged with rape, indecent assault and sexual assault.

The actor, who denies the allegations, will appear in court on May 2, on charges relating to four separate women.

Brand, 49, has been questioned by police on multiple occasions following a joint investigation by the Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches programme in which four women accused Brand of sexual assault and rape.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said it had written to Brand to inform him that he was being charged with one allegation of rape, one allegation of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two further counts of sexual assault.

The force said it is alleged that in 1999 a woman was raped in the Bournemouth area, in 2001 a woman was indecently assaulted in the Westminster area of London, in 2004 a woman was orally raped and sexually assaulted in the Westminster area of London, and between 2004 and 2005, a woman was sexually assaulted in the Westminster area of London.

Brand, who lives near Henley, responded to the allegations in a video posted on Instagram, where he denied the allegations, thanked his followers for their support and expressed concern about the legal system, suggesting it is being used as a political tool.

He said: “We are very fortunate I suppose that this is happening at a time where we know that the law has become a kind of weapon to be used against people, institutions and sometimes entire nations that will not accept and tolerate levels of corruption that are unprecedented.”

Brand also questioned public confidence in the legal system and the handling of certain high-profile cases.

He said: “I have always told you guys that when I was young and single, before I had my wife and family, who are just out of shot over there, my beautiful children, I was a fool, man. I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile but I never was a rapist, I have never engaged in non-consensual activity, I pray that you can see that, by looking in my eyes.

“Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and I am incredibly grateful for that. In the meantime, you lot stay free and we will be continuing to discuss this matter. Praise the Lord.”

Brand has been told to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court but he is believed to be in the United States.

In February, an anonymous woman, identified in court documents as AGX, filed a civil lawsuit at the High Court in London against Brand, alleging personal injury and sexual abuse.

Jaswant Narwal, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “We carefully reviewed the evidence after a police investigation into allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary in September 2023.

“We have concluded that Russell Brand should be charged with offences including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. These relate to reported non-recent offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women.

“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active and the defendant has the right to a fair trial.”

The Metropolitan Police’s detective superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

Brand, originally from Essex, began his career in entertainment as a stand-up comedian before rising to national fame as the host of the television programme Big Brother’s Big Mouth.

He later appeared in a number of Hollywood films, including St Trinian’s and the remake of Arthur and now focuses largely on podcasting and online video content.

In 2024, he was baptised in the River Thames.