Actor and comedian Russell Brand pleaded not guilty on Tuesday at Southwark Crown Court to charges of rape and sexual assault. The charges are related to allegations from two women concerning incidents that reportedly occurred in 2009.
Brand, 50, appeared in court to deny one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. These new charges were authorized by the Crown Prosecution Service following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
These allegations are separate from a set of previous charges brought against Brand. In December 2023, the Metropolitan Police announced that Brand had been charged with two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault. Those charges involve four different women and relate to alleged offenses between 1999 and 2005.
Brand previously entered a not guilty plea to those five charges in May 2023 and is scheduled to stand trial in June of this year.
A court hearing is scheduled for next month to determine whether the new allegations will be combined with the existing case for the June trial. Brand’s legal representation indicated that more time was needed to address the latest charges.
Brand arrived at the courthouse on Tuesday and told reporters he was feeling “blessed” when asked about his condition.
Brand began his career as a stand-up comedian before gaining wider recognition as an MTV presenter and host of a reality television series in the early 2000s. He later worked as a radio presenter for the BBC and appeared in several films, including the 2010 production Get Him to the Greek. He was married to American singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012. In recent years, Brand has primarily produced content online, discussing politics and other topics on various platforms.
