Actor and comedian Russell Brand was found guilty Thursday of raping a woman in 2009 and sexually assaulting three other women, following a trial at Southwark Crown Court in London, CBS News reported.
Brand, 51, had been charged with three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. The jury acquitted him of two rape counts and the attempted indecent assault charge.
Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand the conviction would “inevitably” lead to “a significant custodial term,” according to the BBC. Brand was denied bail, taken into custody and is set to be sentenced Monday.
The jury of eight men and four women deliberated for more than eight hours over two days. The allegations, made by six women, covered a period from 1999 to 2009.
Brand pleaded not guilty and testified that, although he once led a promiscuous life, he never forced anyone to do something against their will. His lawyers argued the women only went to police years later, after a 2023 documentary aired anonymous allegations against him.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of London’s Metropolitan Police said the conviction was “a testament to the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward.”
Brand’s father, Ron Brand, told the BBC he was “bemused and shocked” by the verdict.
Sources: CBS News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: MRSC at English Wikipedia / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
