Russell Brand faces 'significant' prison sentence after rape and sexual assault conviction

Russell Brand faces a "significant" prison term after his rape and sexual assault conviction, a judge has said.

A jury in London found the British comedian and actor guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault Thursday. He was acquitted of two rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault. The judge told Brand he would be remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on Monday, Nov. 9.

"You've been convicted of a number of offenses including rape," judge Joel Bennathan said. "The consequence of that is inevitably a significant custodial term. My current view is that I therefore have to remand you into custody."

The actor had been charged on seven counts: three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted indecent assault.

Following Thursday's verdict, London's Metropolitan Police Service told Yahoo News that Brand, 51, was facing further allegations of rape from two women.

"The suspect has previously been interviewed under caution in connection with the allegations," the force said. Brand has not been charged in relation to these claims.

The head of the Met Police, Sir Mark Rowley, has urged any other victims of Brand to contact the police.

"There's two more rape allegations that we're looking at. We're encouraging anybody else to come forward if there's any other allegations," he told British media on Friday.

He later said that he "wouldn't be surprised if many, many more come forward," adding of the trial, "This shows that powerful people can be brought down so you are safe stepping forward and we will support and try and bring that person to justice."

Brand became a household name in the U.K. in the 2000s as a comedian and broadcaster. He went on to star in the movies Get Him to the Greek in 2010 and Arthur the following year.

He married singer Katy Perry in October 2010, but Brand filed for divorce in December 2011, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in July 2012.

The claims against Brand were made by six different women, spanning from 1999 to 2009. None of the women knew each other, but all of them came forward to police following a TV documentary and press reports in 2023, in which anonymous allegations were made by other women.

During the trial, the court heard tearful and forceful testimony from the six complainants, who are all entitled to lifelong anonymity.

The convictions included a rape that took place in 2009, involving a victim who went to Brand's home after meeting him at one of his shows. She said she had engaged in consensual sex, but that Brand then raped her and removed a condom in the process.

Brand was also convicted of sexually assaulting a woman when he grabbed her breasts at a London bar in 2004.

He was also found guilty over an incident in 2009, in which he demanded a woman give him a massage in front of two of his colleagues and then put his head in her groin.

A third complaint of sexual assault ended in a guilty verdict when Brand was found guilty of pushing a woman who worked at a radio station up against a wall and forcibly kissing her.

Brand denied the charges and said he had never forced anyone to do something against their will.

CCTV footage released by the Met Police after the verdict shows Brand being interviewed by police in custody in December 2023.

"As I've repeatedly stated publicly and written about extensively, I led a very promiscuous life in the past, which I've spent years openly denouncing," Brand can be seen saying. "I've never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity."

He said he did "not recall the names" of the complainants, or meeting them, adding, "However, it's entirely possible that I may have encountered them and we may have engaged in consensual sexual activity or physical contact that's been since reimagined."

Following the verdict, the judge told Brand he would be remanded in custody.

In a statement, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, from the Met Police, said: "Today's verdict is first and foremost a testament to the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward and reported what happened to them."

The statement added: "Brand used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women.

"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."

Ron Brand, Russell's father, told the BBC he was "shocked" by the verdicts. "I just didn't expect this — it's wrong," he said. "It's devastating."