Latest news with #notguilty
Arab News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault in London court
LONDON: Actor and comedian Russell Brand pleaded not guilty in a London court Friday to rape and sexual assault charges involving four women dating back more than 25 years. Brand, who turns 50 next week, denied two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. He said 'not guilty' after each charge was read in Southwark Crown Court. His trial was scheduled for June 3, 2026 and is expected to last four to five weeks. Prosecutors said that the offenses took place between 1999 and 2005 — one in the English seaside town of Bournemouth and the other three in London. Brand didn't speak to reporters as he arrived at court wearing dark sunglasses, a suit jacket, a black collared shirt open below his chest and black jeans. In his right hand, he clutched a copy of the 'The Valley of Vision,' a collection of Puritan prayers. The 'Get Him To The Greek' actor known for risqué stand-up routines, battles with drugs and alcohol, has dropped out of the mainstream media in recent years and built a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories, as well as discussing religion. On a five-minute prayer video he posted Monday on social media, Brand wrote: 'Jesus, thank you for saving my life.' When the charges were announced last month, he said that he welcomed the opportunity to prove his innocence. 'I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord,' he said in a social media video. 'I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile. But what I never was a rapist. I've never engaged in nonconsensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.' Brand is accused of raping a woman at a hotel room in Bournemouth when she attended a 1999 Labour Party conference and met him at an event where he was performing. The woman alleged that Brand stripped while she was in the bathroom and when she returned to the room he pushed her on the bed, removed her clothes and raped her. A second woman said that Brand grabbed her forearm and attempted to drag her into a men's toilet at a television station in London in 2001. The third accuser was a television employee who met Brand at a birthday party in a bar in 2004, where he allegedly grabbed her breasts before pulling her into a toilet and forcing himself on her. The final accuser worked at a radio station and met Brand while he was working on a spin-off of the 'Big Brother' reality television program between 2004 and 2005. She said Brand grabbed her by the face with both hands, pushed her against a wall and kissed her before groping her breasts and buttocks. The Associated Press doesn't name victims of alleged sexual violence, and British law protects their identity from the media for life.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Footy star learns his fate after being accused of sexually touching a child
A former NRL player and primary school teacher has been found not guilty of sexually touching a child under 10. Keith Eshman, 38, was acquitted by a jury at Wollongong District Court after a week-long trial. The jury returned its verdict on Friday after just under three hours of deliberation. The charge dated back to November 2022, when Eshman was working as a schoolteacher in the Illawarra region. The complainant, a young girl, alleged Eshman had made her touch him sexually. Eshman denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty from the outset. This was the second trial for the same charge, after a previous jury was unable to reach a verdict. The case was heard before Judge Imad Abdul-Karim and involved testimony from the girl's parents, school staff, police and Eshman himself. Crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay described the child as 'bright' and 'serious' when disclosing the allegation. She told the court the girl became 'distressed' when revealing what had allegedly happened. The Crown's case relied on a recording of the child's evidence, which was played in closed court. Judge Abdul-Karim reminded the jury not to focus on why the girl had been touching herself, but to consider whether the accused was guilty. He noted the complainant's evidence was delivered 'matter of fact' and in a way typical of a young child unfamiliar with sexual matters. He also addressed claims that Eshman had been the subject of touchy behaviour from the girl. Witnesses described her as being 'clingy' and 'touchy-feely' with the teacher. Eshman told the court he would acknowledge her and redirect the behaviour appropriately. Judge Abdul-Karim also referred to internet search history found on Eshman's devices. These included queries about child development, orgasm, and behaviour after abuse. The defence said Eshman made those searches to understand unusual student behaviour. The Crown argued the searches indicated a sexual interest in children. Eshman also kept a personal diary detailing concerns about the girl's conduct at school. The judge reminded the jury that Eshman had spoken with colleagues about the child's behaviour. During closing arguments, defence barrister Matthew Barnes urged jurors to apply common sense. He said the allegation was not supported by any physical evidence or corroboration. The jury returned a unanimous not guilty verdict on the charge. The acquittal brings to an end a three-year legal ordeal for Eshman. He was arrested at the school following the allegation and has faced public scrutiny ever since. Eshman played one NRL game for the Wests Tigers in 2006 as a winger. He later moved into teaching after his short-lived professional rugby league career. Before joining the Tigers, he played junior footy for Quakers Hill Destroyers. He also attended Patrician Brothers' College in Blacktown. Outside of court, Eshman did not speak publicly after the verdict. The complainant, whose identity is legally protected, was not present when the verdict was read. No further charges have been laid.
ABC News
23-05-2025
- ABC News
Jury finds ex-teacher Keith Eshman not guilty of sexually touching girl
A former Illawarra schoolteacher and professional rugby league player has been found not guilty of forcing a young girl to touch him sexually. Keith William Eshman, who played one NRL game for Wests Tigers in 2016, faced trial in Wollongong District Court this week before Judge Imad Abdul-Karim and a jury. The 38-year-old pleaded not guilty to one count of intentionally sexually touching a child under the age of 10. Crown Prosecutor Nerissa Keay told the court the complainant, who cannot be identified, was a "bright young girl" who became "distressed" when she told her parents Mr Eshman "touches me". The incident, according to the Crown, was in November 2022 but defence barrister Matthew Barnes argued it never happened. The prosecutor's case relied on the jury accepting a recording of the girl's evidence, played in closed court. Before Friday's deliberation, Judge Abdul-Karim delivered a summary of evidence and witnesses statements. He told the jury the girl's parents had noticed their daughter touching herself and told her it was "nothing to be ashamed of" but to make a "pinky promise" to keep it private. "I urge the jury not to focus on why [the complainant] was touching herself, but if the accused is guilty," Judge Abdul-Karim said. The jury was also reminded that the complainant told her parents "sometimes [Mr Eshman] takes my hand and puts it on his private parts and rubs" after she was asked about publicly masturbating. "The complainant was in trouble with her mother for breaking the 'pinky promise' the night before." Judge Abdul-Karim did, however, echo the prosecution when describing the complainant's evidence, saying she spoke "quite matter of fact … and like a young girl who did not understand sexual matters". Judge Abdul-Karim reminded the jury of parts of Mr Eshman's recorded evidence that included him saying he noticed the girl was increasingly "clingy" towards him, but he would only acknowledge and "redirect" her. "Other teachers observed [the complainant] being touchy-feely with [Mr Eshman] and that he didn't like it," the judge said. He also reminded the jury of web pages and searches found on Mr Eshman's digital devices, including queries about the age girls could orgasm and child behaviour after abuse. "Mr Eshman kept a diary of his concerns about the girl's behaviour and spoke to colleagues," Judge Abdul-Karim told the court. "The defence says he searched online to learn more about child sexual behaviours. "The Crown says the only rational argument for these searches is that the accused had a sexual interest in children." It took the jury less than three hours to acquit Mr Eshman after four days of evidence and witnesses.
The Independent
20-05-2025
- The Independent
Man found not guilty of preventing burial of two babies
A man has been found not guilty of preventing the decent burial of two babies at a home in south Wales. Zilvinas Ledovskis, 50, of Phoebe Road in Swansea, was due to face trial charged with two counts of concealing the birth of a child and two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body. Following a review of the evidence, Mr Ledovskis was found not guilty at a hearing before Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, after the prosecution said it would be presenting no evidence against him. Egle Zilinskaite, 31, Mr Ledovskis' former partner, pleaded guilty to the charges in April last year. Zilinskaite, of Crwys Road in Cardiff, is due to be sentenced later this year. Addressing Mr Ledovskis, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, said: 'The prosecution has offered no evidence against you and accordingly I direct not guilty verdicts to be entered. 'That concludes the proceedings so far as you are concerned.' The charges relate to the discovery of two babies at an end-of-terrace home in Maes-Y-Felin, Wildmill, Bridgend, in November 2022. The two children, previously referred to as Baby A and Baby B in court, died some time between January 1 2017 and November 26 2022.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
Bridgend man found not guilty over Wildmill baby deaths
A man has been found not guilty of charges relating to the deaths of two babies who were found in a house in Crown Court heard that, following a review of the evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service would not be offering any evidence against Žilvinas Tracey Lloyd-Clarke found him not guilty of two counts of concealing the birth of a child and two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a were called to the home where the bodies were found in Maes-y-Felin, Wildmill, on 26 November 2022. Eglė Žilinskaitė, who pleaded guilty to two counts of concealing the birth of a child and two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body, will be sentenced at a later date.
