Russell Brand Convicted of Rape and Three Sexual Assaults in London

A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London on Thursday found Russell Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The 51-year-old comedian and actor was acquitted on two other rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault, according to Deadline, CNN and Variety.

The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, refused to extend Brand's bail and remanded him in custody until sentencing on Monday. He told Brand a "custodial sentence of some length" would follow, Deadline reported.

What the jury decided on each charge

Brand faced seven charges based on accusations from six women, covering a period from 1999 to 2009. He denied all of them. Deadline's account of the verdicts:

• Guilty: sexual assault of a woman who worked at MTV, at a London bar in 2004.
• Guilty: sexual assault of a woman at a radio station in 2004 or 2005.
• Guilty: rape of a woman at his London home in 2009, after she met him backstage at a show of his. CNN described her as a young fan.
• Guilty: sexual assault of a former Channel 4 employee in a workplace incident in 2009.
• Not guilty: a rape allegation dating to 1999.
• Not guilty: a rape allegation involving the same woman as the 2004 bar assault.
• Not guilty: attempted indecent assault at MTV's London offices in 2001. The judge had lowered this from an indecent assault charge during the trial, citing insufficient evidence.

The women have lifelong anonymity. Deadline reported that three of the complainants in the guilty verdicts worked in TV and radio, including former employees of MTV and Channel 4.

What the defense argued

Brand's lawyers told the court that a 2023 Channel 4 documentary about him, along with reporting in The Times, had damaged the fairness of the case. According to Deadline, the defense said the program had "poisoned the well of justice deliberately" and had fundamentally corrupted his accusers' accounts. They also said it had a devastating effect on his life.

On individual charges, Brand said some encounters were consensual, including the 1999 allegation and the anal intercourse alleged in 2009. He said he could not recall other incidents, including the 2001 MTV episode and the 2009 workplace allegation, and denied the rest.

What the prosecution argued

Prosecutors said the documentary did not exert a "magic force" that led six separate women to rewrite their memories, Deadline reported. In their account, the program prompted the women to come forward with stories about encounters that had haunted them for years. All of the accusers came forward after seeing the 2023 allegations, according to Deadline.

After the verdicts, the judge said the case had been very well prepared, CNN reported, citing the Press Association.

Why it matters: sentencing and further investigation

Brand rose from MTV in Britain to Hollywood roles in films such as "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," and later to a podcast and YouTube channel. Variety reported that his career collapsed in 2023 after a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4's "Dispatches."

The conviction carries serious penalties. Variety reported that rape can bring up to 19 years in prison, and potentially a life sentence depending on the seriousness of the offense. Deadline said it can carry life. The maximum for sexual assault is 10 years, according to Variety. Brand will stay in custody until he returns to court.

The legal case may not be over. BBC News, as cited by Deadline, and Sky News, as cited by Variety, reported that police are investigating further rape allegations made by two women. The Metropolitan Police said its investigation "remains ongoing."

What happens next

Brand is due back at Southwark Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced. Before remanding him, the judge gave both sides 20 minutes to prepare arguments on bail. He said the temptation to avoid returning for sentencing would be overwhelming, according to Variety. Variety also reported that Brand's wife, Laura, rushed from the courtroom as he was taken to the cells.

Reports differ on the length of the proceedings. Deadline said the jury deliberated for two days and the trial ran less than four weeks. Variety said the jury took three days after a three-week trial.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by Deadline, CNN, Variety