Latest news with #Dispatches
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Russell Brand pleads not guilty
Brand will next appear in court in June, 2026. PHOTO: File British comedian and actor Russell Brand pleaded not guilty Friday at a London criminal court to five charges of sexual offences including rape and sexual assault, as reported by AFP. The media personality turned anti-establishment influencer faces one count of rape, one of oral rape, two of sexual assault and one of indecent assault between 1999 and 2005, involving four women. Crowds were waiting as Brand, 49, arrived at Southwark Crown Court in an open-buttoned shirt and dark blazer for the plea hearing, after being granted conditional bail at a previous hearing. He gained international recognition as the husband of pop star Katy Perry, but is better known in the UK for his hyper-sexualised and often lewd comedy routines and TV and radio appearances in the early 2000s. Now living partly in the US, Brand appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London earlier this month, where he showed no emotion as a prosecutor read out allegations against him. On Friday, Brand appeared in the dock flanked by two officers, where he stood stock-still and looked straight ahead as he delivered his pleas. He is now due to stand trial next year, on June 3, 2026. Prosecutors charged Brand following a police probe into allegations aired in a 2003 Channel 4 documentary. He is accused of raping one woman in a hotel room following an event in the southern Bournemouth area in 1999. Another charge relates to the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in central London. The accusations involve four women, including one who was a TV worker, and another who was a radio station worker at the time of the alleged assaults. "The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers," Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, said at the time. "The Met's investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police." The accusations followed a 2023 joint investigation by UK, newspapers The Sunday Times and The Times and Channel 4 current affairs show Dispatches, which focused on the claims of five women over events that took place between 2006 and 2013 - including one woman who was 16 years old at the time of the alleged incident. "I've received two extremely disturbing letters, or a letter and an email, one from a mainstream media TV company, one from a newspaper, listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks," Brand posted on social media ahead of the story's release. "But amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute." In a video response on X after he was charged in April, Brand said he was "grateful" for the "opportunity" to defend himself. Conservative guru "I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile, but what I never was was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity," he said in the video. Born in 1975 to working-class parents in Essex, east of London, Brand began his stand-up career as a teenager, eventually working as an MTV presenter and host of a Big Brother spin-off. He presented a show on the BBC's Radio 2 station between 2006 and 2008, but quit after an on-air prank when he left a sexually explicit voicemail for Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter. Once a left-leaning political campaigner and Hollywood star, he has rebranded himself as a conservative guru to his millions of social media followers. Brand often peddles in conspiracy theories, as well as sharing wellness tips, in his anti-establishment videos. Last year, he said he became a Christian after being baptised in the Thames river.
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
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.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges
By Sana Noor Haq , CNN Russell Brand. Photo: ANDREW COWIE / AFP British comedian and actor Russell Brand pled not guilty to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault at a court in London on Friday. In April, 49-year-old Brand was charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, and one count of oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault. The charges relate to four separate women. The alleged assaults took place between 1999 and 2005. He has previously denied all the allegations. Brand walked into the courtroom at Southwark Crown Court wearing a dark suit and an unbuttoned, pinstripe shirt. He spoke only to confirm his name and enter five not guilty pleas. A trial date has been scheduled for 3 June, 2026. Detectives started investigating the actor in September 2023 after receiving allegations following a joint investigation led by three British media outlets - The Sunday Times , The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches . According to London's Metropolitan Police, it is alleged that one woman was raped in 1999 in Bournemouth, southern England; one woman was indecently assaulted in London's Westminster area in 2001; a woman was orally raped and sexually assaulted in Westminster in 2004; and a woman was sexually assaulted between 2004 and 2005, also in Westminster. Brand has appeared in numerous Hollywood films and hosted radio and TV shows in the United Kingdom. More recently, he has sought to frame himself as a social commentator and promoted conspiracy theories online, particularly on YouTube, where he has amassed almost 6.8 million subscribers. - CNN
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges by 4 women
Actor and comedian Russell Brand has formally pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, indecent assault and sexual assault. On Friday, BBC reported that Brand arrived at at Southwark Crown Court in London for a hearing in which he denied the charges of rape, indecent assault, and sexual assault against him. The charges relate to four separate women, for incidents that allegedly took place between 1999 and 2005. Brand, 49, arrived with his lawyer, Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky, who successfully defended Kevin Spacey against sexual assault allegations in 2023. After denying the charges, Brand put his sunglasses back on and walked out of the dock, flanked by security guards as he strode past photographers and avoided questions lobbed his way by reporters and camera crews, according to the outlet. The hearing took place a month after the Metropolitan Police Service announced that the Crown Prosecution Service authorized it to charge Brand. Following an investigation, the Get Him to the Greek actor is facing one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. Brand is accused of raping one woman in Bournemouth, England, in 1999; indecently assaulting a second woman in London in 2001; orally raping and sexually assaulting a third woman in London in 2004; and sexually assaulting a fourth woman in London between 2004 and 2005. Detectives began investigating Brand in September 2023 after receiving a slew of allegations, which were reported as part of a joint investigation by The U.K. Times, The Sunday Times, and U.K. network Channel 4's television series Dispatches that same month, according to a press release from the Metropolitan Police Service. "The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers," Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who led the investigation, said in a statement at the time. "The Met's investigation remains open, and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police." Brand denied the allegations from the Times' article through a YouTube video titled "So, This Is Happening." The former actor, who has stepped away from Hollywood and become a controversial YouTube wellness guru, said he "absolutely" refuted the "serious allegation," claiming that all of his relationships were "consensual." He added that the claims were "extremely egregious and aggressive attacks." He also denied the allegations against him in an Instagram reel. "I've always told you guys when I was young and single, before I had my wife and family... I was a fool, man," he said in the video. "I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict, and an imbecile. But what I never was, was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes." He concluded his response by thanking his followers for their "continuing support," plugging his show, and then stating that he is grateful to have "the opportunity to defend these charges in court."The former star has courted controversy throughout his career before he stepped out of the limelight. These days, he is most commonly known as a controversial YouTuber who often discusses American politics and platforms conservative pundits like Tucker Carlson. He previously garnered criticism for peddling conspiracy theories and misinformation about COVID-19. He also became a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, whose inauguration he attended in January. Brand is on conditional bail until his trial begins on June 3, 2026. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Actor Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape charges
British actor and comedian Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty in a London court 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 US pop singer Katy Perry, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday 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 US, 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. 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 US politics and free speech. In September 2023, the Sunday Times and Channel 4 TV's Dispatches show reported allegations of sex offences against him. Police began investigating some weeks later. Brand, who said in 2024 he had become a Christian, rejected those accusations. British actor and comedian Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty in a London court 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 US pop singer Katy Perry, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday 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 US, 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. 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 US politics and free speech. In September 2023, the Sunday Times and Channel 4 TV's Dispatches show reported allegations of sex offences against him. Police began investigating some weeks later. Brand, who said in 2024 he had become a Christian, rejected those accusations. British actor and comedian Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty in a London court 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 US pop singer Katy Perry, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday 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 US, 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. 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 US politics and free speech. In September 2023, the Sunday Times and Channel 4 TV's Dispatches show reported allegations of sex offences against him. Police began investigating some weeks later. Brand, who said in 2024 he had become a Christian, rejected those accusations. British actor and comedian Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty in a London court 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 US pop singer Katy Perry, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday 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 US, 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. 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 US politics and free speech. In September 2023, the Sunday Times and Channel 4 TV's Dispatches show reported allegations of sex offences against him. Police began investigating some weeks later. Brand, who said in 2024 he had become a Christian, rejected those accusations.
