British comedian and actor Russell Brand found guilty of rape

UK comedian Russell Brand was found guilty on Thursday of one rape and three sexual assault charges . The sentences was handed by a jury in London's Southwark Crown Court. Investigative journalists from The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches published accusations in September 2023, from women who said they had been raped, sexual abused, and degraded by Brand.

The revelations encouraged four women to come forward to criminally accuse him, while another two women came forward once Brand had been charged. The victims accused Brand in court of forcing them into sexual activity, sometimes within seconds of them first meeting. Brand was known for risqué comedy stand-up routines and he rose to prominence in the early 2000s, hosting television programs and his own BBC radio show.

Last year, Brand pleaded not guilty to the original charges and saying he was "grateful" for the "opportunity" to defend himself ahead of the trial. "I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile, but what I never was was a rapist," he said about the charges.