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.
Brand was cleared of two rapes and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Prosecutors had labeled Brand a ruthless sexual predator and brought up charges against in cases spanning from 1999 to 2009, the years where he rose in prominence from stand-up comedy in small venues to becoming a television presenter and Hollywood film star.
Judge Joel Bennathan on Thursday said Brand faced a “significant” prison term, with sentencing due Monday next week.
What were the charges against Brand?
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.
Evidence at the trial revealed Brand to be a man who abused his fame to obtain sex while treating women as objects, with his entourage and showbiz bosses accused of “normalizing” sexual misconduct and looking the other way on complaints against him.
The victims accused Brand in court of forcing them into sexual activity, sometimes within seconds of them first meeting.
What has Russell Brand said?
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.
He also appeared in Hollywood films including “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek.”
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. “I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity.”
Brand said the criminal case against him had a devastating impact on his life and family.
“My entire life has been consumed by these events, these allegations, these accusations,” Brand said.
He moved away from mainstream media in recent years and relocated to Florida, where he has built a large online following with videos mixing wellness, conspiracy theories and discussions of his religious devotion.
Source: www.dw.com
