Russell Brand found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults in London

A jury at Southwark Crown Court in central London has found Russell Brand guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The verdicts came on 5 November, after more than eight hours of deliberation. The 51-year-old actor and comedian had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

What happened?

The jury found Brand guilty of raping a fan in 2009 after she met him at one of his shows in London. It also convicted him of groping an MTV worker in 2004. The other two convictions relate to 2009: kissing and groping a woman at her workplace, and sexually assaulting another woman.

He was cleared of two other counts of rape and one count of indecent assault.

Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand to expect "significant custodial time" and refused him bail. Brand will stay in custody until sentencing, which is due on Monday.

What did Brand say in court?

During the trial, Brand did not deny that some of the encounters took place. He said everything was consensual. He told jurors he had "misused" his fame to obtain sexual encounters, but that consent had been "fundamental, essential, necessary".

The jury did not accept that account for the four convictions.

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police (London's police force) welcomed the verdict. "As his profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement," he said. He added that he hoped the conviction would send a message that no one is above the law, however famous or powerful.

How did we get here?

The Met charged Brand in April 2025 over alleged offences between 1999 and 2009. In December 2025, police added one more rape charge and one more sexual assault charge.

Rape in England and Wales carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The average term for a rape conviction is between four and 19 years.

What's next?

Brand's legal troubles may not be over. A Met spokeswoman said police had questioned him about two further allegations of rape and had sent the files to prosecutors. No decision on charges has been announced.

For now, the focus turns to Monday's sentencing hearing. Brand's legal team has not yet responded to requests for comment.