Russell Brand was remanded into custody on Thursday after a London jury found the 51-year-old actor and comedian guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, according to The Guardian. The verdicts, delivered at Southwark Crown Court, bring a definitive legal conclusion to a trial centering on incidents involving six women between 1999 and 2009.
The Verdicts at Southwark Crown Court
The jury, composed of eight men and four women, returned its decisions following more than eight hours of deliberation. Brand was acquitted of two additional counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. Judge Joel Bennathan, presiding over the three-week trial, immediately ordered Brand to be remanded into custody, noting that the nature of the convictions necessitates a prison sentence. Brand, who had been free on bail throughout the proceedings, appeared to close his eyes as the guilty verdict on the rape count was read, though he otherwise maintained a still demeanor.
You’ve been convicted of a number of offences including rape,
Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand, adding, The consequence of that is inevitably a significant custodial term. My current view is that I therefore have to remand you into custody.
Brand, who was previously married to singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012, was led away by two female guards to a holding cell.
Prosecutors Portrayed Brand as a Predator
Prosecutors characterized Brand as a ruthless, calculating, manipulative
sexual predator who leveraged his status to exploit women. The criminal proceedings followed a September 2023 investigation by Channel 4 Dispatches and The Times, which prompted the Metropolitan Police to launch an inquiry into allegations of abuse. The police investigation eventually led to seven charges being brought against the actor, with five filed in April 2025 and two additional charges added in December of that year.
The court heard graphic evidence regarding the 2009 rape conviction, in which a victim testified that after a consensual sexual encounter in his dressing room, she visited his home days later. During sex, she alleged Brand removed his condom without her consent and anally raped her; she further testified that he later instructed her to clean up the blood and mess. Other findings of criminal conduct included:
- A 2004 incident at a London bar where Brand grabbed a woman’s breasts.
- The sexual assault of a woman at a London radio station in 2004 or 2005, committed in front of his entourage.
- A 2009 incident during a promotional project where Brand demanded a massage and pressed his face between a woman’s legs in front of colleagues.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police described the outcome as a testament to the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward and reported what happened to them.
He added that as Brand’s profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement,
stating, I hope this conviction sends a clear message that no one is above the law, no matter how famous or powerful they may be.
Brand Insisted His Encounters Were Consensual
Throughout the trial, Brand maintained that his sexual encounters were consensual. Testifying in his own defense, he acknowledged that he was obsessed with sex
as a young man. During his testimony, Brand noted that he had been unable to find anyone willing to testify on his behalf, though his wife, Laura Gallacher, did appear in court to support him.
Defense counsel Ian Winter argued that the accusations were influenced by the 2023 documentary, suggesting the well of justice had been corrupted and contaminated.
Winter urged jurors to distinguish between Brand’s behavior and criminal acts, stating, It is not criminal to treat women unkindly before, during or after sex. It is not, I am afraid, criminal to be disrespectful or rude or to act like a crazy idiot.
Brand, who rose to fame in the 2000s in films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, had previously claimed the allegations were part of a coordinated attack by the mainstream media against his recent work as an online influencer and political commentator. Following the verdict, his father, Ron Brand, told the BBC he was bemused and shocked,
adding, I just didn’t expect this – it’s wrong.
Ongoing Investigations
The Metropolitan Police told Sky News that they are continuing to investigate Brand for additional rape allegations made by two other women, noting that the comedian had previously been interviewed under caution in relation to those specific claims. Detectives remain in contact with prosecutors as further investigative work continues.
