Russell Brand went on trial in London on Wednesday, as prosecutors opened their case against the actor and comedian at Southwark Crown Court. Brand, 51, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault.
The charges involve six women and alleged offences between 1999 and 2009, spanning workplaces, a hotel room, a bar toilet and his home, the court heard. Opening the prosecution case, Riel Karmy-Jones KC told jurors the women came forward independently and did not know one another, and she described Brand's alleged behaviour in severe terms.
Brand arrived at court with his wife and has consistently denied the allegations, saying his relationships were consensual. The judge has directed jurors not to let earlier media coverage of the case influence them and not to research it themselves.
The trial, which follows a police investigation launched after a joint media investigation in 2023 and charging decisions in 2025 and early 2026, is expected to run for several weeks. Nothing has been proven at this stage: the jury's task is to test the prosecution's account against the evidence presented in court.
