Russell Brand denies all charges as he takes the stand at U.K. rape and sex assault trial

LONDON — Actor-comedian Russell Brand said “today is the day for truth and justice” as he arrived at a London court Wednesday to deny charges of rape and sexual assault. Brand spoke briefly to reporters as he entered Southwark Crown Court alongside his wife, Laura Brand. Brand, 51, stood in the witness box and took the oath, then gave his full name: Russell Edward Brand. He answered “no” to each of the charges: three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. Questioned by his lawyer, Ian Winter, Brand said the allegations had a “devastating” impact. “My entire life has been consumed by these events, these allegations, these accusations,” he said. Over the past two weeks of the trial, prosecutors have set out their case and the jury heard from six women who accuse Brand of sexual misconduct between 1999 and 2009. Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told jurors that Brand was “ruthless, he was calculating, he was manipulative. And, the prosecution say, he was a sexual predator.” Known for risqué stand-up routines and battles with drugs and alcohol, Brand rose to prominence in the early 2000s, hosting television programs and his own BBC radio show. He appeared in Hollywood films including “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek” and was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry. In recent years he has moved away from mainstream media, relocated to Florida and built a large online following with videos mixing wellness, conspiracy theories and discussions of his religious devotion.