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Daily Mirror
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Russell Brand arrives at court to enter plea for rape and sexual assault charges
Former comedian and actor Russell Brand has arrived at Southwark Crown Court as he enters his plea and trial preparation hearing for his rape and sexual assault charges Russell Brand has been spotted arriving at court today for his plea and trial preparation hearing. The former comedian and actor has appeared at Southwark Crown Court today. He was charged by post in April with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four separate women, in alleged assaults said to date back 26 years. Earlier this month, Brand appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court to face charges of rape and sexual assault and was granted conditional bail. The clerk read out the charges in full but Brand was not asked to enter any pleas and his case was sent to the crown court for his appearance today. Detectives launched an investigation after he was accused by several women in September 2023. The Crown Prosecution Services authorised charging Brand, who lives in the US, in April. The incidents are alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2005. Det Supt Andy Furphy, from the Met police, said at the time: "The women who have made reports continue to receive support from trained officers. 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. "A team of investigators is available via email at CIT@ Support is also available by contacting the 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line." Jaswant Narwal, of the CPS, 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. "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." She added: "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." Following the 2023 allegations, which were featured in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches, Brand vehemently denied any wrongdoing, insisting all his relationships had been consensual.
Daily Mirror
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Russell Brand bailed after appearing in court accused of rape and sexual assault
The comedian has flown in from the US to face sex attack charges in relation to four alleged victims, including rape and 'indecently assaulting a woman by dragging her towards a male toilet' Russell Brand has been granted conditional bail at Westminster Magistrates' Court after appearing at a 12 minute hearing to face charges of rape and sexual assault. Standing behind reinforced glass in the dock, he spoke to confirm his name and address in Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, before appearing to forget his postcode. Holding his sunglasses behind his back, Brand, 49, confirmed the details after he was prompted by chief magistrate Paul Goldspring. Mr Goldspring said he must also provide, as part of his bail provisions, his address in the US where he also resides. The clerk read out the charges in full but Brand was not asked to enter any pleas and his case was sent to the Old Bailey where he is due to appear on May 30. Brand walked slowly out of the court staring straight ahead. He was charged by post last month with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four separate women, in alleged assaults said to date back 26 years. The TV personality is accused of indecently assaulting one woman in 2001 by allegedly 'grabbing her arm and dragging her towards a male toilet'. Brand is accused of raping another woman in 1999 and allegedly groped the breasts of a third woman and forced her to perform oral sex in 2004. A fourth alleged victim says the now 49-year-old sexually assaulted her by touching her "when she did not consent" in 2005. The incidents are said to have occurred in Bournemouth, Dorset, and the Westminster area of central London. Reacting to the charges in a video posted online, Brand said last month: "I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict and a sex addict and an imbecile, but what I never was, was a rapist. I have never engaged in non-consensual acts." He added: "I've never engaged in non-consensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes." Detectives launched an investigation after he was accused by several women in September 2023. The Crown Prosecution Services authorised charging Brand, who lives in the US, in April. Det Supt Andy Furphy, from the Met police, said at the time: "The women who have made reports continue to receive support from trained officers. 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. "A team of investigators is available via email at CIT@ Support is also available by contacting the 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line." Jaswant Narwal, of the CPS, said: "We have today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Russell Brand with a number of sexual offences." Brand, from Grays, Essex, was aged between 26 and 30 when the alleged offences occurred. During the early period covered by the charges he was a presenter for MTV, but was sacked after coming to work dressed as Osama bin Laden the day after the September 11 terror attacks in 2001 . In 2004, he began hosting Big Brother's Big Mouth, the E4 companion show to the Channel 4 reality series Big Brother. Channel 4 production company Banijay UK and the BBC are also investigating Brand's conduct. He presented a BBC Radio 2 show between 2006 and 2008. The father-of-three was married to US pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 and has since remarried. After the 2023 allegations, which followed a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches, he vehemently denied any wrongdoing, insisting all his relationships have been consensual. He moved to Florida from Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire last autumn, claiming he was being persecuted in the UK. He wrote in February: "I don't live in the United Kingdom anymore, because I personally have experienced how the media, government and judiciary - if you become an inconvenience - will find ways to attack and shut you down." In his video last month, he said: "I'm speaking particularly to those of you watching in the UK. How do you feel about your legal system?" He also made a reference to the Southport murders of last July, for which triple killer Axel Rudakubana was jailed for a minimum of 52 years.
Daily Mirror
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Russell Brand arrives at court as he's set to face rape and sexual assault charges
Russell Brand has arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court today after being charged with rape and sexual assault last month. Brand, 49, who is understood to live in the US, was charged by the Metropolitan Police in April with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four separate women. The incidents are alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2005. The former comedian, TV and film star arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court for a pre-trial hearing today. It is understood Brand lives in the US and the charges were posted to him. He was seen walking slowly into the court as he was surrounded by press and photographers. Russell wore a pair of large sunglasses with dark lenses and a gold trim as he walked to the entrance of the court. The comedian wore a black shirt, which he left slightly unbuttoned as he made his way from a car into the building. On Friday April 4, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed Brand had been charged in a statement. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, shared details about the case. He said: "The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers. 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." He continued: "A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@ Support is also available by contacting the independent charity, Rape Crisis at 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line." Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service, Jaswant Narwal, 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. 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." She added: "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." Following the announcement of the charges, Brand denied the allegations in a video shared on his Instagram. Speaking in the video released shortly after the charges were announced, Brand said: "I've always told you guys that when I was young and single, before I had my wife and family who are just out of shot over there, my beautiful children, I was a fool, man. "I was a fool, man, 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. I want to thank all of you for your continuing support. "I want let you know that our show will be on Rumble on Monday, thanks for your support there. And of course I'm now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and I'm incredibly grateful for that. In the meantime you lot, stay free. and we will be continuing to discuss this matter. Praise the Lord."
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Oxfordshire's Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault
Henley comedian and actor Russell Brand has been charged with sexual offences, including rape relating to four separate women. Detectives began an investigation after Brand was accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse by several women in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches in September 2023. The Metropolitan Police has now charged Brand with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four separate women. It comes after the celebrity has been involved in a planning saga over his pub in Pishill in South Oxfordshire, which he was denied planning permission for when attempting to convert into a recording studio and community space. Brand has previously denied the accusations and said all his sexual relationships were 'absolutely always consensual'. READ MORE: Police provide major update on M40 crash which killed two men An investigation has been into the comedian has been ongoing. The alleged incidents took place between 1999 and 2005. Brand is charged with the rape of a woman in 1999 in the Bournemouth area and the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in the Westminster area of London. He has also been charged with indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 and sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005 – both of these are alleged to have taken place in Westminster, London. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy from the Metropolitan Police said: 'The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers. '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. "A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@ READ MORE: Cosy 15th century pub nestled in quiet Cotswolds village is 'hidden gem' Russell Brand has been charged. (Image: James Manning / PA Wire) 'Support is also available by contacting the independent charity, Rape Crisis at 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line.' The 49-year-old purchased his 800-year-old pub, The Crown, in 2020, which is just a mile away from Stonor. He had tried to gain permission to convert the historic watering hole into a recording studio and offices, but this was met with objections and the proposal was dismissed The entertainer has since tried again with the idea that the spot could be used as a pub as well as a media studio and offices with a function room. READ MORE: James Corden 'at war with neighbours' before £8m move to Oxfordshire Missed a copy of the Oxford Mail you wanted? Here's what to do — Oxford Mail (@TheOxfordMail) May 13, 2024 These ambitions did not win over William Stonor, 8th Lord Camoys, of Stonor Park. This is the Oxfordshire family seat which successive generations of Stonors have occupied since before the Norman Conquest. Lord Camoys sent a letter to the local council objecting to Mr Brand's plans, given that when the actor first purchased the pub, he did so with the promise 'to keep the pub open'. Brand is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, May 2.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dedicated male abuse survivors line faces closure
The only support service in the country for male sexual abuse victims could be forced to close. The National Male Survivor Helpline (NMSH) is funded entirely by the government but the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is to end the £250,000-a-year it has received since 2016. Service users have said the NMSH, which is operated by Safeline, has been a "lifeline" for many victims of abuse. The MoJ said its Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line (RSASL) was available to offer free, confidential help to all survivors aged 16 and over. A person who used the service from the North West told the BBC they feared male victims would be less likely to use RSASL because all the phonelines were staffed by women only. "I was abused by a female, the last person I want to speak to about that experience is a woman," he said. "It is very important that the user can choose the gender of the person they speak to." The client said he was abused between the ages of eight and 18 and suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result. "PTSD is cumulative, so every time something happens I get triggered, it gets worse," he said. "I would see someone the same build as the person who abused me and it would trigger me, it got to the point where I was hardly leaving the house." He said he spent many years trying to get help before he found Safeline's NMSH. "I tried everything, I self-referred through the NHS and it was a 48-week wait," he said. "I was given cognitive behavioural therapy and sent to group sessions, but this isn't something you can talk about in a group of strangers." He said he came across NMSH while researching treatment options and was amazed how quickly it was able to help. He said "within a matter of weeks" he had been referred for therapy and went on to receive frequent counselling sessions. "It was just totally different, they completely understood. I wasn't expecting much given my history with other services, and it didn't cost me a penny. "£250,000 is nothing when you consider what they are doing for people. I'm amazed they managed to help me so much on a tiny budget." In the last year, the helpline has supported 2,000 men across England and Wales. Sixteen per cent of those were based in the North West, the second highest volume of users after London (18%). Liz Harrison, Head of National Helpline and Online Services at Safeline, says there will be "tragic consequences" if the NMSH is forced to close. "Male survivors will go unsupported and lives will be lost," she said. Ms Harrison said the cuts came after the helpline saw an increase in young men and boys coming forward. "If you can encourage survivors to seek support as soon as they can it helps to reduce the long term impacts of abuse," she said. The MoJ said its gender-neutral 24/7 rape crisis line was a suitable alternative to Safeline. Ms Harrison echoed survivors' concerns about it being staffed only by women. "The way men and women talk about the abuse they've experienced is completely different," she said. "Women don't tend to talk about the actual abuse itself whereas men will talk very matter-of-factly about it, which means they can be quite graphic. "This can lead to them being turned away from the service or even banned." John, not his real name, is based in Greater Manchester and has worked for the service for nine years. He said he did not know what to expect when his team was called into a meeting in the middle of December, but that the service being closed was "the worst possible" outcome. "I went through different phases or being sad, angry, confused that something like this could be taken away," he said. "I'm surprised by how much I consider it to be part of my identity, it's never felt like a job to me. "The idea that we spent eight years developing the service to this point for it to be taken away so swiftly just doesn't feel right. We've worked so hard to get it to this point." John said he was worried the knowledge the team had built over the last nine years would be lost if the service was forced to close. "We built the service up from scratch so everyone is so knowledgeable about male survivors," he said. "There is nowhere for us to take that knowledge, the government service won't employ men so we can't even share it with them. "It just feels like we are being forced to take steps back when we feel like we can and should be moving forward. "The helplessness of having a service taken out of our hands when we know there is a valid reason we are doing it. It just feels wrong." The client said he was worried for people who would not be able to access the help he had if the service closed. "If people can't get help to deal with it they just put it in box in their mind where it just sits and rots. Then they spend the rest of their lives wondering why they feel the way they do, why they need to drink so much or why they take drugs," he said. "This is a situation that affects possibly millions of men, there are so many people suffering. "Imagine how many males are going through the same as me who now won't be able to get the help I was given." The MoJ said it "recognises the vital role that organisations like Safeline play in supporting victims of sexual abuse". "This government inherited a criminal justice system under immense pressure and must make difficult decisions to ensure we can deliver the justice victims deserve," an MoJ spokesperson said. But the client said men "get so few opportunities for help", he could not understand why the government would take the service away. "Safeline is my lifeline," he said. "It just makes you think, society still doesn't care about men who have been abused. "Without the specialist help and support I have had from the helpline over the past three years and just knowing they were there for me at the end of the phone, I might not have survived." If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC's Action Line. Read more stories from Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. National Male Survivor Helpline Ministry of Justice
