London Jury Convicts Russell Brand of Rape and Three Sexual Assaults

Published on 5 November 2026 – 18:42 GMT+1

Comedian and broadcaster Russell Brand was convicted on Thursday by a London jury of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women.

Brand closed his eyes as the verdicts were delivered and showed no emotion. The jury also cleared him of two rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.

The 51-year-old actor, who has since become a conservative and religious online figure, faces a “significant custodial term,” according to Judge Joel Bennathan.

Brand’s wife, Laura, watched from the public gallery as the jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court delivered four unanimous guilty verdicts. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Monday. The maximum sentence in the UK for rape is life imprisonment.

Brand, who was briefly married to US pop star Katy Perry, also faces accusations of raping two other women, including a 16-year-old schoolgirl. These allegations were revealed during previous hearings of his four-week trial and were not included in the charges decided by the jury.

‘Courage’ of Victims

After the verdicts, the Metropolitan Police paid tribute to the “extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward and reported what happened to them.”

“Brand used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women,” said Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police in a statement.

“As his profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement. I hope this conviction sends a clear message that no one is above the law, no matter how famous or powerful they may be,” Furphy added.

Brand’s Bail Refused

Senior prosecutor David Roberts said outside court on Thursday that Brand’s behaviour was “predatory” and that he “used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes.”

“He was a manipulator with an insatiable desire to get what he wanted regardless of whether consent was given or not,” Roberts added.

The offences involved four women between 2005 and 2009 in different locations, including a radio station, the set of a DVD recording and Brand’s home. He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges, saying that although he used to be promiscuous he had always had consensual sex.

The prosecution had earlier described him as a “ruthless, calculated and manipulative” sexual predator. Following the guilty verdicts, Brand’s lawyer Ian Winter urged the judge to renew his bail over the weekend as “an act of humanity” and to “put his affairs in order and in particular to say goodbye to his three young children.”

But Judge Bennathan refused to grant bail, saying Brand had “considerable resources” and that, whatever his good intentions might be, there was “fear he might in the end not feel able to come along and face his sentence.”

From the dock, Brand signalled to his defence team that he was okay, adding: “I’m good, I’m good, I’m good” before being led out of the dock.

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