Russell Brand pleads not guilty to five assault charges in London Court

Russell Brand denies five sexual assault charges from 1999 to 2005; trial set for June 2026 in London

Russell Brand has formally pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault during a brief hearing at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Friday.

The 49-year-old comedian and actor denied all five counts against him, which include allegations of rape, oral rape, indecent assault, and two further sexual assault charges. These accusations involve four separate women and relate to incidents reportedly occurring between 1999 and 2005.

Brand, who arrived wearing sunglasses, a pinstripe shirt, jacket, and skinny jeans, was accompanied by his lawyer Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky, known for successfully defending actor Kevin Spacey against sexual assault allegations in 2023. The hearing was short, lasting only minutes. Due to court delays, the trial is scheduled to begin on June 3, 2026.

The charges were brought forward by London’s Metropolitan Police following an investigation that started in September 2023. Brand initially appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on May 2, where he was granted bail and the case was referred to London’s Central Criminal Court before being moved to the Crown Court, the same venue where Spacey’s trial took place.

Brand, who currently resides in the United States, has consistently denied the allegations on social media since they emerged. In a video statement, he acknowledged past struggles with drug and sex addiction but firmly rejected any non-consensual behaviour. “I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity,” he said. “I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.”

The Metropolitan Police investigation followed a 2023 exposé by Channel 4’s “Dispatches” and The Sunday Times, which featured accounts from five women—four of whom chose to remain anonymous—alleging rape, sexual assaults, and emotional abuse by Brand.

Once a prominent figure on British TV and radio during the mid-2000s, Brand gained international fame through films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, as well as his high-profile marriage to singer Katy Perry. In recent years, Brand has cultivated an online following for his shifting political views and outspoken commentary, including support for former U.S. President Donald Trump. He has also publicly embraced Christianity, praying on stage with conservative figures such as Tucker Carlson.

Carlson recently called on the Trump administration to intervene, describing the charges as “political and absurd.” Brand’s trial will mark a significant development in a case that has attracted widespread media attention.