Russell Brand faces prison after being found guilty of rape and sexual assaults

The comedian was cleared of three other charges, with a judge saying a custodial sentence of some length would follow

Russell Brand, now 51, committed the offences while building a career as one of Britain’s best-known stand-up comedians, a television and radio host, and a Hollywood movie star. Picture: James Manning/Press Association

Russell Brand is facing years in prison after being found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others during his showbusiness career.

Brand, now 51, committed the offences while building a career as one of Britain’s best-known stand-up comedians, a television and radio host, and a Hollywood movie star.

The women told the court how Brand had forced them into sexual activity, in some cases within seconds of their first meeting. The trial also heard about his stated goal of having sex with 5,000 women.

At Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, a jury found Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, after deliberating for eight and a half hours.

He was cleared of two counts of rape and one charge of attempted indecent assault.

Brand, who told his wife Laura Gallacher “I love you” after entering the dock, displayed no emotion as the jury delivered its verdicts at the end of a trial lasting nearly four weeks.

The four convictions

The jury found Brand guilty of groping an MTV worker during a party at a Soho bar in 2004, but not guilty of raping her in a toilet afterwards.

Brand was convicted of kissing and groping a Capital Radio worker after encountering her in a corridor in 2005.

He was found guilty of raping a 21-year-old fan after meeting her at a stand-up show at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2009.

Brand was also convicted of sexually assaulting a Channel 4 worker in 2009 when she had been forced to give him a massage.

He was found not guilty of raping a woman he met at a cabaret show on the fringes of the 1999 Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.

He was also cleared of trying to drag an MTV worker into a toilet to indecently assault her in 2001.

After the verdicts, Mr Justice Bennathan said: “Sit down Mr Brand.

“Mr Winter, Ms Karmy-Jones, just on what happens next given the verdict on count six at least, obviously a custodial sentence of some length will result.” 

The judge said the case was “very well prepared”, adding that the sentencing hearing would take place on Monday.

Brand denied allegations

Brand had claimed to be the victim of a media conspiracy to portray him as a sexual predator and insisted in court that consent was “more important than sex itself” to him.

However, six women gave evidence about alleged offences spanning the period from 1999 to 2009.

The jury also heard Brand’s own words from his 2007 book, in which he described sex as a “birthright”, and evidence from friends about his pursuit of having sex with 5,000 women.