Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault by Metropolitan Police
Comedian Russell Brand has been charged with a string of sexual offences, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed.
Brand has been charged with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape as well as two counts of sexual assault.
The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation after by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches in 2023 shared accusations involving rape, sexual assaults, and emotional abuse against the British comedian and actor, which Brand denies. During the process, Brand was interviewed on multiple occasions by the police.
The charges relate to four separate incidents involving four women. It’s alleged that a woman was raped in the Bournemouth area in 1999, a woman was indecently assaulted in Westminster, London, in 2001, a woman was orally raped and sexually assaulted in Westminster, London, in 2004 and between 2004 and 2005, a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster, London.
Brand has been instructed to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on May 2nd. However, he recently relocated to Florida which is where he’s currently believed to be.
Jaswant Narwal of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “We have today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Russell Brand with a number of sexual offences. We carefully reviewed the evidence after a police investigation into allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary in September 2023.”
Narwal continued: “We have concluded that Russell Brand should be charged with offences including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. These relate to reported non-recent offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women.”
Her statement concluded: “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and the defendant has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
The Metropolitan Police’s detective superintendent, Andy Furphy, has stated the women who made the accusations against Brand “continue to receive support from specially trained officers”. He also encouraged anybody with relevant information to come forward.
Brand is yet to comment on the charges but has previously consistently said his sexual encounters were “always consensual”.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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