Russell Brand arrived at Southwark Crown Court in London for the start of his criminal trial.
The former actor and comedian was charged with three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault.
The charges were brought by the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (similar to a DA) in April and December last year.
The charges filed in April allegedly occurred between 1999 and 2005 and involve four women. The additional charges filed in December relate to two other women and allegedly occurred in 2009.
The charges were laid following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police. Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Brand arrived in court Monday wearing a gray suit and sunglasses. He was accompanied by his wife, Laura Gallacher, whom he married in 2017. The trial, the outcome of which will be decided by 12 jurors, could last up to two months. Brand remains out on bail.
The opening day of the trial is expected to be devoted to jury selection, with closing arguments by the prosecution and defense tentatively scheduled for Wednesday.
In the mid-2000s, Brand was best known as a comedian and actor, hosting shows such as “Big Brother’s Big Mouth” and starring in films such as “Get Him to the Greek” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” He has since moved into podcasting and online influencing.
In 2023, Brand was the subject of a joint investigation by London’s Sunday Times and the Channel 4 documentary “Dispatches”, which published allegations of rape, sexual assault and psychological abuse against him. Brand has strongly denied the allegations.
Following the investigation, the Metropolitan Police launched their own investigation, which resulted in the charges laid last year.
“We have carefully reviewed the evidence following a police investigation into the allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4, Sunday Times and The Times investigation in September 2023,” CPS chief prosecutor Jaswant Narwal said at the time the first charges were laid. “We have concluded that Russell Brand should be charged with offenses including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.”
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active and the accused is entitled to a fair trial.”
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