Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been charged with sexual offences, including rape.

Detectives began an investigation after Brand was accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse by several women in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches in September 2023.

The Metropolitan Police have now charged Brand with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four separate women.

Brand has previously denied the accusations, and said all his sexual relationships were “absolutely always consensual”.

The alleged incidents took place between 1999 and 2005.

Brand is charged with the rape of a woman in 1999 in the Bournemouth area and the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in the Westminster area of London.

He has also been charged with indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 and sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005 – both offences are alleged to have taken place in Westminster, London.

Detective superintendent Andy Furphy from the Metropolitan Police said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police. A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@met.police.uk.

“Support is also available by contacting the independent charity, Rape Crisis at 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line.”

Brand will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday May 2.

Jaswant Narwal, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “We have today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Russell Brand with a number of sexual offences.

“We carefully reviewed the evidence after a police investigation into allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary in September 2023.

“We have concluded that Russell Brand should be charged with offences including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.”

In November 2024, the CPS confirmed that detectives from the Metropolitan Police had passed on an evidence file regarding sex offence allegations against Brand.

Channel 4 and production company Banijay UK announced it had launched separate internal investigations into Brand’s conduct, following the allegations in 2023, with the BBC also requesting a review into Brand’s time at the corporation.

An investigation, launched by Banijay UK – which bought the company that produced some of the Channel 4 shows Brand worked on – found that informally raised concerns about the comedian and actor’s behaviour while he worked on several of the channel’s programmes were “not properly escalated or adequately addressed”.

The Channel 4 investigation found “no evidence” that staff were aware of accusations about the comedian and actor contained in the Dispatches programme.

The BBC’s review published in January found a number of people “felt unable to raise” concerns about the presenter and believed he “would always get his way and therefore they stayed silent”.

Brand, who presented a BBC Radio 2 show between 2006 and 2008, left the role after his on-air prank, now known as Sachsgate, when he left a “lewd” voicemail for Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter.

He also presented on Big Brother spin-off shows Big Brother’s Big Mouth, Kings Of Comedy, and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack in the noughties.

The TV and film star was married to US pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 but is now married to Laura Gallacher, the sister of presenter Kirsty, and the pair have two children, Mabel and Peggy.

Published: 04/04/2025 by Radio NewsHub