Actor and comedian Russell Brand has entered a plea of not guilty to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault in a London court. The allegations involve four women and date back over 25 years, occurring between 1999 and 2005. Brand faces two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault, all of which he denied in Southwark Crown Court.
The trial is set to commence on June 3, 2026, and is anticipated to last four to five weeks. As he arrived at the court, Brand did not engage with the media and appeared dressed in casual attire, holding a book of Puritan prayers.
The allegations include an incident in 1999 where Brand is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room after a Labour Party conference. Additional charges involve incidents in London where he allegedly assaulted three other women, including one who accused him of attempting to drag her into a men’s restroom and another who claimed he forced her to perform oral sex.
Brand has previously stated that he welcomes the chance to prove his innocence, asserting that he has never engaged in non-consensual activity. In recent years, he has distanced himself from mainstream media, cultivating an online presence where he discusses topics related to wellness and conspiracy theories.
As the case unfolds, the identities of the alleged victims remain protected under British law, which prohibits the disclosure of their names by the media. The legal proceedings will continue to develop as both the prosecution and defense prepare for the upcoming trial.