Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault
Brand denies all non-consensual sexual activity, claiming his promiscuous past is being reimagined as assault.
Russell Brand is on trial in the UK for rape and sexual assault. The former comedian, now 51, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Brand was interviewed by police four times between late 2023 and mid-2025. Each time he denied engaging in non-consensual sexual activity.
In his defense, Brand told police his "very promiscuous" celebrity lifestyle of kissing fans and having casual sex has been "unfavourably reframed" into rape and assault accusations decades later. He said consensual encounters from 1999 to 2009 are being "reimagined" after misconduct allegations surfaced in 2023.
Six women have testified they were victims of sexual misconduct by Brand during that period. His lawyer argues some encounters have been "reimagined" since the 2023 accusations.
- 51
- Brand's age
- 1999 to 2009
- Alleged misconduct period
Why it mattersThe trial tests how courts treat allegations decades after alleged events and whether consensual conduct can be reframed as assault.
AustraliaNo direct Australian impact yet, though Brand was widely known in Australia through his past media career.
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