Key points
- A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London found Russell Brand, 51, guilty on Thursday of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, involving four women. The offences were committed between 2004 and 2009.
- Brand was cleared of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. The trial covered seven charges involving six women, with alleged offences spanning 1999 to 2009.
- The jury deliberated for more than eight hours over two days. The trial began on 12 October and lasted four weeks.
- The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, remanded Brand in custody and warned him he faced a "significant custodial term". Sentencing is set for Monday 9 November; the maximum sentence for rape in the UK is life imprisonment.
- Police said Brand remains under investigation over two further alleged rapes, including one said to involve a girl who was then 16. He has not been charged in those cases.
A jury in London has found the comedian Russell Brand guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault, after a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court. The 51-year-old was convicted of offences against four women, committed between 2004 and 2009, and was cleared of two further rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. Read more: Polish bishop convicted in landmark first trial for failing to report abuse allegations against two priests
The trial began on 12 October. Brand closed his eyes but showed no emotion as the jury delivered its verdicts, according to reports from the courtroom, and his wife Laura, who had attended most days of the trial, watched from the public gallery. The jury deliberated for more than eight hours over two days before returning its verdicts on Thursday.
What the jury decided
The rape conviction relates to an incident in early 2009, when Brand met a young woman after a show at London's Hammersmith Apollo. Brand told the court that the sexual contact in that case had been consensual. The jury did not accept that.
The three sexual assault convictions relate to incidents in 2004 and 2005, including one involving an employee of the MTV music channel at a birthday party in Soho, and one involving a woman working at the Choice FM radio station. The seven charges in the trial involved six women, with the alleged offences spanning the years 1999 to 2009.
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Sentencing on Monday
The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, told Brand he had been convicted of several offences, including one of rape, and that the consequence was inevitably a significant custodial term. He refused bail and remanded Brand in custody ahead of sentencing on Monday 9 November. The maximum sentence for rape in the UK is life imprisonment.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Guilty verdicts | One rape, three sexual assaults | Jury, Southwark Crown Court |
| Women involved in the convictions | Four | Jury verdicts |
| Years the convicted offences span | 2004–2009 | Jury verdicts |
| Charges in the trial in total | Seven, involving six women | Southwark Crown Court |
| Acquittals | Two rapes, one attempted indecent assault | Jury verdicts |
| Jury deliberation | More than eight hours over two days | Court reports |
| Trial length | Four weeks, from 12 October | Court reports |
| Sentencing date | Monday 9 November 2026 | Mr Justice Bennathan |
| Maximum sentence for rape in the UK | Life imprisonment | UK law |
What happens next
After the verdicts, David Roberts, a senior prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, said Brand had engaged in "abuse of power and sexual greed, with a complete disregard for the impact of his actions." Police said Brand remains under investigation over two further alleged rapes, including one said to involve a girl who was then 16. He has not been charged in those cases.
Detectives began investigating Brand in September 2023, after allegations were raised in a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme. Europe Unfolded will report the sentencing as it happens.
Updates & corrections
Published 6 November 2026.
No updates or corrections have been made to this article since publication.
Sources
- Dawn, "Brand found guilty of rape, three assaults", 6 November 2026, on the verdicts, the acquittals, the judge's warning, the custody remand and the further police investigation: dawn.com
- Malay Mail (AFP), "British comedian Russell Brand found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults, faces 'significant' jail term", 6 November 2026, on the trial dates, the jury's deliberation, Brand's reaction in court and the sentencing date: malaymail.com
- BusinessWorld, "Comedian Russell Brand found guilty by UK court of rape and sexual assaults", 6 November 2026, corroborating the verdicts and the further investigation: bworldonline.com
- Outlook India, "Russell Brand Found Guilty of Rape and Sexual Assault", 6 November 2026, on the Hammersmith Apollo incident, the MTV and Choice FM incidents, the deliberation time and the judge's words: outlookindia.com
- Entertainment Weekly, "Russell Brand reacts after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault", 6 November 2026, on the Crown Prosecution Service statement and the origins of the investigation: ew.com
- The Statesman, "Russell Brand is a convicted rapist: Jury destroys his 'it was all consensual' defense and sends him to custody", 6 November 2026, on the charges breakdown and the sentencing date: thestatesman.com