Comedian due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 2 May 2025
Russell Brand, the British comedian, actor and presenter, has been charged with a series of serious sexual offences involving four women between 1999 and 2005, the Crown Prosecution Service and Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday.
The 50-year-old, who resides in Oxfordshire, is facing one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The charges follow a lengthy investigation by the Metropolitan Police, which began in September 2023 after reports emerged from a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter), Brand reiterated his stance: “I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.” He added that he is looking forward to defending himself in court and said he was “incredibly grateful” to be given the opportunity to do so.
The offences are alleged to have taken place in various locations including Westminster and Bournemouth. Specifically, Brand is accused of raping a woman in Bournemouth in 1999, sexually assaulting and orally raping a woman in Westminster in 2004, indecently assaulting a woman in 2001, and sexually assaulting another between 2004 and 2005, also in Westminster.
The Metropolitan Police noted that Brand’s accusers continue to receive support from specially trained officers. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is overseeing the investigation, urged anyone with further information to come forward, saying: “The Met’s investigation remains open. A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@met.police.uk. Support is also available through the independent charity Rape Crisis.”
Chief Crown Prosecutor for London North, Jaswant Narwal, confirmed the charges in a formal statement: “We have authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Russell Brand with a number of sexual offences. These relate to reported non-recent offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women. We have carefully reviewed the evidence submitted by the police following a thorough investigation.”
Brand is expected to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 2 May 2025. However, it is understood he is currently residing in the United States. Prosecutors have indicated they are working to secure his return. If Brand does not return voluntarily, an extradition process may be initiated.
The Crown Prosecution Service has reminded the public and media that criminal proceedings are now active. “It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings,” Narwal added.
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The Channel 4 Dispatches documentary that aired in 2023 triggered the police investigation and contained testimonies from several women, alleging abuse spanning from 2006 to 2013, a time when Brand was highly active in British media and Hollywood. He worked for the BBC and Channel 4, and starred in films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek.
Both Banijay UK, which acquired the production company behind Brand’s Channel 4 programmes, and the BBC launched internal reviews. The BBC’s report, released in January 2024, concluded that some staff felt “unable to raise” concerns and that Brand had wielded undue influence during his tenure. Banijay similarly found that concerns raised informally were “not properly escalated or adequately addressed”.
Brand has consistently denied all allegations and stated that all his relationships have been consensual. His career, once flourishing in the UK and US, began to unravel following the 2023 revelations.
He was previously married to American pop star Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 and is now married to Laura Gallacher, sister of television presenter Kirsty Gallacher. The couple share two young daughters, Mabel and Peggy.
