Comedian Russell Brand denies rape and sex assault charges in UK court
British actor and comedian Russell Brand, who has been charged with rape and multiple counts of sex assault, appears at Southwark Crown Court, in London, Britain, May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
British actor and comedian Russell Brand pleaded not guilty in a London court on Friday to charges of rape and sexual assault relating to four women more than two decades ago.
Brand, once one of Britain's most high-profile broadcasters and former husband of U.S. pop singer Katy Perry, appeared at Southwark Crown Court and denied all five criminal charges.
The 49-year-old has consistently denied having non-consensual sex since allegations were first aired two years ago.
British prosecutors announced in April that Brand had been charged with two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault against four women between 1999 and 2005.
Brand, who previously gave his address as being in England but also lives in the U.S., is due to stand trial in June 2026.
He spoke only to confirm his name and enter his five not guilty pleas, before leaving the court with his lawyer and some companions.
PREVIOUS DENIAL
After the charges were first announced, Brand said in a video posted on social media that in his younger days, before getting married and having children, he had been a fool and a sex addict but "what I never was, was a rapist".
In the 2000s, Brand was a regular on British screens, known for his flamboyant style and appearance.
He worked for the BBC and starred in a number of films including "Get Him to the Greek" before marrying Perry in 2010. They divorced 14 months later.
By the early 2020s, he had faded from mainstream culture, appearing primarily on his internet channel where he airs his views on U.S. politics and free speech.
In September 2023, the Sunday Times and Channel 4 TV's "Dispatches" show reported allegations of sex offenses against him. Police began investigating some weeks later.
Brand, who said last year he had become a Christian, rejected those accusations.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
10 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Bridges Collapse in 2 Russian Regions Bordering Ukraine, 7 Dead
Acting Governor of Kursk Region Alexander Khinshtein via Telegram/Handout via REUTERS A views shows a damaged freight train at the scene following a railway bridge collapse in the Kursk region, Russia, in this picture published June 1, 2025. June 1 (Reuters) – Two bridges collapsed in different Russian regions bordering Ukraine, derailing trains and killing at least seven people and injuring dozens, Russian authorities said early on Sunday, while a Russian politician called Kyiv a 'terrorist enclave'. Reuters could not independently confirm whether the incidents in the neighbouring regions were related. The areas in Russia's south have been subject to frequent attacks by Ukraine during the war that Russia started with its full-scale invasion more than three years ago. Seven people were killed and 69 injured when a highway bridge collapsed onto railway tracks, derailing an approaching train in the Bryansk region late on Saturday, Russian emergency ministry and regional officials said. Russia's Railways initially posted on the Telegram messaging app that the Bryansk bridge collapse was the result of an 'illegal interference in the operation of transport', but the post was later removed. Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz said on Telegram that 47 people were hospitalised. Three children were among those injured with one in serious condition, he said. The collapse in the Kursk region occurred early on Sunday while a freight train was crossing the bridge, Alexander Khinshtein, acting governor of the region, and Russian Railways said on Telegram. 'Part of the train fell onto a road underneath the bridge,' Khinshtein said. He added that the locomotive caught fire, which was quickly extinguished. One of the drivers sustained leg injuries, and he and the team operating the train were taken to a local hospital, Khinshtein added. He posted a photo of derailed carriages on a damaged bridge over a road. Andrei Klishas, a senior member of the Federation Council, Russia's upper chamber of parliament, said on the Telegram messaging app that the incident in Bryansk shows that 'Ukraine has long lost the attributes of a state and has turned into a terrorist enclave.' Russia's Baza Telegram channel, which often publishes information from sources in the security services and law enforcement, reported, without providing evidence, that according to preliminary information, the Bryansk bridge had been blown up. Prominent Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, who uses the name War Gonzo, called the Bryansk collapse 'sabotage.' Reuters could not independently verify the Baza or Pegov's reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Since the war began in February 2022, there have been continued cross-border shelling, drone strikes and covert raids from Ukraine into the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions that border Ukraine. Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations said on Telegram that efforts to find and rescue victims in the Bryansk incident continued throughout the night, and that some 180 personnel were involved in the operation. Among those killed was the locomotive driver, Russia's state news agencies reported, citing medics. Social media pictures and videos showed passengers trying to help others climb out of the Bryansk train's damaged carriages in the dark and firefighters looking for ways to reach passengers. The train was going from the town of Klimovo to Moscow, Russian Railways said. It collided with the collapsed bridge in the area of a federal highway in the Vygonichskyi district of the Bryansk region, Bogomaz said. The district lies some 100 km (60 miles) from the border with Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Moscow and Kyiv to work together on a deal to end the war, and Russia has proposed a second round of face-to-face talks with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul on Monday. Ukraine has not committed to attending the talks, saying it first needed to see Russia's proposals, while a leading U.S. senator warned Moscow it would be 'hit hard' by new U.S. sanctions.
Kyodo News
10 hours ago
- Kyodo News
New Universal Studios Japan chief eyes expansion of park attractions
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 12:00 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism The new head of the operator of Universal Studios Japan has expressed eagerness to expand the park's themed areas, building on the success of attractions such as Super Nintendo World based on the universe of iconic video game character Mario. "We will develop in accordance with the market," said Taku Murayama, 53, who assumed his new leadership post at USJ LLC, which operates the theme park in Osaka in western Japan, effective Sunday. Universal Studios Japan will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026, having regained popularity after 2014 when it launched The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, an area centering on the British boy wizard series. It broadened the zone featuring characters from gaming giant Nintendo Co. last year with the introduction of the world's first attraction area based on the popular Donkey Kong series, aiming to garner more visitors from abroad as well as Japan. Murayama, who joined USJ in 2000 after receiving a master's degree from a U.S. university, added that the World Exposition in Osaka, which opened in April, is an "extremely good touchstone" for the growth of the area around the amusement facility. "I want to help enliven" Osaka together, Murayama said, referring to the integrated resort facilities, including a casino, taking shape next to USJ. He voiced hope that their proximity would be mutually beneficial in attracting visitors. With the service industry struggling to secure human resources as part of Japan's nationwide labor shortage trend, Murayama said, "We will actively adopt digital services and operate efficiently," adding he would also strive to improve the work environment. Originally from Tokyo, Murayama succeeded JL Bonnier, who had led USJ since 2015. Related coverage: Shanghai to open Harry Potter theme park in 2027 Ghibli Park to exhibit anime director Hayao Miyazaki's beloved car Disney-themed Shinkansen trains to begin service in Japan from Feb. 21
The Mainichi
13 hours ago
- The Mainichi
New Universal Studios Japan chief eyes expansion of park attractions
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- The new head of the operator of Universal Studios Japan has expressed eagerness to expand the park's themed areas, building on the success of attractions such as Super Nintendo World based on the universe of iconic video game character Mario. "We will develop in accordance with the market," said Taku Murayama, 53, who assumed his new leadership post at USJ LLC, which operates the theme park in Osaka in western Japan, effective Sunday. Universal Studios Japan will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026, having regained popularity after 2014 when it launched The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, an area centering on the British boy wizard series. It broadened the zone featuring characters from gaming giant Nintendo Co. last year with the introduction of the world's first attraction area based on the popular Donkey Kong series, aiming to garner more visitors from abroad as well as Japan. Murayama, who joined USJ in 2000 after receiving a master's degree from a U.S. university, added that the World Exposition in Osaka, which opened in April, is an "extremely good touchstone" for the growth of the area around the amusement facility. "I want to help enliven" Osaka together, Murayama said, referring to the integrated resort facilities, including a casino, taking shape next to USJ. He voiced hope that their proximity would be mutually beneficial in attracting visitors. With the service industry struggling to secure human resources as part of Japan's nationwide labor shortage trend, Murayama said, "We will actively adopt digital services and operate efficiently," adding he would also strive to improve the work environment. Originally from Tokyo, Murayama succeeded JL Bonnier, who had led USJ since 2015.
