Comedian and actor Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault
Comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault.
The 49-year-old appeared in the dock at Southwark Crown Court on Friday flanked by two officers, where he stood stock-still and looked straight ahead as he delivered his pleas.
He is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she attended a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, and grabbing a TV worker's breasts and orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet.
Brand is also alleged to have grabbed a radio station worker's face, pushing her against a wall and kissing her before groping her breasts and buttocks.
The final charge alleges the actor indecently assaulted another woman after grabbing her forearm and attempting to drag her into a male toilet.
The allegations against Brand are said to have taken place against four women between 1999 and 2005.
The defendant, of Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, who faces one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, is due to stand trial on June 3 next year at the same court.
He was granted conditional bail to appear for a pre-trial review hearing on May 20 next year.
Arriving at court, Brand held a book in his hand and looked straight ahead without taking questions from reporters.
As Friday's hearing finished, the comedian replaced his sunglasses before exiting the dock and calmly walked past reporters.
He was charged following an investigation by Channel 4 and the Sunday Times in which several women made allegations against him.
Brand previously told his 11.2 million followers on X that he welcomed the opportunity to prove his innocence.
He presented a BBC Radio 2 show between 2006 and 2008 but left after an on-air prank which saw him leave a 'lewd' voicemail for Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter.
Brand also presented Big Brother spin-off shows Big Brother's Big Mouth and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack.
He was married to US pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 and is now married to Laura Gallacher, the sister of presenter Kirsty, and the pair have two children, Mabel and Peggy.
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