Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been charged with multiple sexual offenses, including rape, indecent assault, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The charges come after an investigation that started in September 2023.
Brand is set to appear in a London court on May 2. The charges relate to four different women. The police are encouraging anyone with information or who may have been affected by these incidents to come forward.
The allegations involve incidents dating back to between 1999 and 2005 in London and Bournemouth, according to The Guardian. One woman claims she was raped by Brand in 1999. Another says she was indecently assaulted in 2001. Two other women have accused him of oral rape and sexual assault in 2004 and 2005 in Westminster.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, leading the investigation, stated that the women who have come forward are receiving support from specially trained officers. He urged anyone with more information to contact the police.
The charges followed a series of allegations reported by Channel 4’s Dispatches and the Sunday Times. Brand has denied the allegations of rape, assault, and emotional abuse in the past. In a recent Instagram video, he said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity” and is “grateful” for the opportunity to defend himself in court.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviewed the evidence and decided to charge Brand after the police investigation. Jaswant Narwal, a barrister for the CPS, emphasized the importance of fair trial procedures and reminded the public not to share any information that could affect the case.
Brand, who moved to the U.S., has claimed that British authorities are attacking and trying to silence him. He recently interviewed Donald Trump Jr. in Florida.
The CPS made its decision to charge Brand after receiving an evidence file from detectives in November 2024. Channel 4 and Banijay UK, the production company behind shows Brand worked on, have launched separate investigations into his conduct. The BBC has also reviewed his time at the network.
In the Dispatches documentary, four women accused Brand of assaults between 2006 and 2013. During this time, Brand worked for the BBC and Channel 4 and was also active in Hollywood films. An internal investigation by Banijay UK found that concerns about Brand’s behavior were not properly handled at the time.
The BBC’s review, published in January, found that some staff felt they couldn’t raise concerns about Brand. He had previously left a BBC Radio 2 show in 2008 following a scandal called “Sachsgate,” where he prank-called actor Andrew Sachs.
