Russell Brand Makes Court Appearance in Rape Case, Pleads Not Guilty
Comedian Russell Brand clutched a prayer book as he walked into a London courthouse on Friday to for a pre-trial hearing in his rape and sexual assault case.
Once he was before a judge at the Crown Court Southwark, the Forgetting Sarah Marshall star pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault. Brand’s alleged crimes against four different women took place between 1999 and 2005 in London and Bournemouth.
Russell Brand recently converted to Christianity
Brand, 50, held a copy of The Valley of Vision, as he entered court, noted the Associated Press. The book is a collection of Puritan prayers originally published in 1975. He wore a black suit jacket, dark shirt, black jeans, and sunglasses, along with a crucifix around his neck. He declined to speak to reporters.
Once known for his off-color humor and failed marriage to pop star Katy Perry, Brand has recently reinvented himself as a devout Christian. In April, he spoke to Fox News about being sober for more than two decades and how his newfound faith had helped him avoid relapse.
“Contending with addiction is at the forefront of my life, continually,” he said. “Now, since becoming a Christian, I recognize that many of the principles that were made clear to me in 12-step recovery reach a kind of fulfillment, continuation and elevation of what I was already experiencing. I said to myself, this is what you’re looking for. This is the direction to continue.”
‘Get Him to the Greek’ star says he was a sex addict but not a rapist
In a video shared on X shortly before he was charged in April, Brand admitted to being a sex addict but said he’d never raped or assaulted anyone.
“I was a fool before I lived in the light of the lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile,” he says in the video. “But what I never was, was a rapist. I’ve never engaged in nonconsensual activity.”
One of Brand’s accusers says he raped her in a hotel room in 1999 following a performance at Labour Party conference event. Another woman says he forced her to perform oral sex on him in a bar bathroom in 2004. Two other women say Brand grabbed and groped them.
Brand’s trial is expected to begin in June 2026.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
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