Record details
Russell Brand Convicted of One Count of Rape and Three Counts of Sexual Assault
On 5 November 2026, Russell Brand (aged 51) was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. A jury of eight men and four women returned the verdicts after approximately eight and a half hours of deliberations following a multi-week trial. He was found not guilty of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Full verdicts on the seven counts:
- Count 1: Rape – Not guilty
- Count 2A: Attempted indecent assault – Not guilty
- Count 3: Sexual assault – Guilty
- Count 4: Rape – Not guilty
- Count 5: Sexual assault – Guilty
- Count 6: Rape – Guilty
- Count 7: Sexual assault – Guilty
The convictions relate to offences committed between 2004 and 2009 against four women (all entitled to lifelong anonymity). The broader charges involved six women and spanned 1999–2009.
Summary of the convicted offences:
- Sexual assault (2004): At a bar in Soho, London, during a birthday party, Brand grabbed the breasts of a woman (an MTV worker) shortly after they began speaking.
- Sexual assault (2004 or 2005): At Choice FM radio station in London, Brand grabbed a woman, kissed her, and touched her breasts and bottom.
- Rape (2009): At his then-home in Hampstead, London, Brand anally raped a woman he had met days earlier after a performance at the Hammersmith Apollo. The encounter began with consensual activity before the non-consensual act; the complainant stated he continued after she asked him to stop.
- Sexual assault (2009): During work on a Channel 4-related project, Brand placed his head in a woman’s groin area without her consent.
Judge Mr Justice Bennathan told Brand that the convictions (including the rape) meant he faced “a custodial sentence of some length” and remanded him in custody. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, 9 November 2026. Brand had pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is also under investigation for two further rape allegations.
The Metropolitan Police described the outcome as reflecting the courage of the women who reported the offences. Senior Crown Prosecutor David Roberts characterised Brand’s conduct as predatory and involving the use of his celebrity status.
