Russell Brand, the 49-year-old British comedian and actor, pleaded not guilty to five charges, including rape, indecent assault, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault, at Southwark Crown Court in London.
The charges, related to alleged incidents involving four women between 1999 and 2005, were formally denied during his court appearance.
Brand, dressed in a dark suit and unbuttoned shirt, confirmed his name and responded “not guilty” to each count while standing in the glass dock.
The allegations include a rape in Bournemouth in 1999, an indecent assault in Westminster in 2001 involving Brand allegedly grabbing a woman’s arm and dragging her toward a male toilet, an oral rape and sexual assault in Westminster in 2004, and a sexual assault involving kissing and groping in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.
The investigation began in September 2023 following a joint media report by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4’s “Dispatches.”
A trial is set for June 3, 2026, with a pre-trial review scheduled for May 20, 2026.
Brand, who resides in Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, remains on conditional bail.
After his April charging, he released a video stating“
I'm now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and I'm incredibly grateful for that.
Russell Brand.
He previously told his 11.2 million X followers that he welcomed the chance to prove his innocence, denying any non-consensual sexual activity.
Brand, originally from Essex, gained fame as a stand-up comedian and hosted shows like Big Brother’s Big Mouth and BBC Radio 2 programs.
He later starred in Hollywood films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and has built a significant online presence, with nearly 6.8 million YouTube subscribers, often focusing on social commentary.