Russell Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a London court, NRC reported on November 5, 2026.
The 51-year-old entertainer faced seven charges in total at Southwark Crown Court, involving six women and incidents spanning from 1999 to 2009, according to The Portugal News. While acquitted of two other rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault, the jury convicted him on four counts, as detailed by Welingelichte Kringen.
The trial itself began on October 12 and lasted just over three weeks, with six female complainants testifying alongside Brand, who also took the stand.
The sole rape conviction stems from a 2009 incident where Brand attacked a 19-year-old fan at his home in Hampstead after meeting her at a comedy show, noted The Portugal News.
The victim testified that she and Brand initially engaged in consensual oral sex before he committed anal rape, according to Times of Suriname. Brand denied all allegations throughout the legal proceedings, maintaining that every encounter involved mutual consent or that accusations had been misconstrued or fabricated.
During his testimony, he stated that he had been obsessed with sex in the past but maintained that mutual agreement was always present, while his defense team argued that media coverage had influenced the complainants.
Prosecutors countered that it was entirely improbable for six rational adults to alter or invent their stories due to news reports. Chief Superintendent Andy Furphy stated that Brand used his influence, status, and fame to exploit and abuse women, adding that a sense of superiority developed as his prominence grew.
He hurt and injured me, and when I asked him to stop, he didn’t,
the victim testified in court, as reported by NRC.
The three sexual assault convictions include an incident in 2004 at a Soho bar where he grabbed an MTV employee’s breasts, an assault on a Capital Radio employee between 2004 and 2005, and a 2009 incident involving a Channel 4 program staff member where he thrust his face into her crotch, The Portugal News and NOS reported.
The initial accusations against Brand emerged publicly in 2023 via a joint investigation published by The Sunday Times, The Times, and the current affairs program Dispatches.
Following the verdict, judge Bennathan remanded Brand into custody, warning that a custodial sentence is inevitable, according to NRC and Weekend Online.
You have been found guilty of various charges, including rape. The inevitable consequence is imprisonment. Therefore, I am of the opinion that you must remain in custody.
Judge Bennathan
Brand is scheduled to hear his sentence on November 9, 2026, as noted by Weekend Online.
Metropolitan Police stated that investigations into additional rape allegations against Brand remain active, according to NRC, following charges involving six women and incidents spanning from 1999 to 2009.
Earlier coverage: Russell Brand convicted of rape and sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court
