British comedian and YouTuber Russell Brand was found guilty on Thursday of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London. The verdicts came after a trial involving accusations made by six women .
London police said officers had questioned him over two additional rape accusations and had submitted files relating to these allegations to prosecutors, as reported by The New York Times. Under British sentencing guidelines, rape carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Brand could face further legal action over allegations about his past sexual behaviour.
However, prison sentences for rape more commonly range from four to 19 years.
Judge Joel Bennathan said Brand would face “significant custodial time”, indicating that he is likely to receive a lengthy prison sentence. The judge scheduled his sentencing for Monday and denied him bail, according to The New York Times. Brand’s exact sentence will be decided by the judge on Monday.
2023 Russell Brand investigation and allegations
Prosecutors said the incidents took place between 1999 and 2009, when Brand was becoming a well-known comedian, actor and television personality. The 2023 media investigation was separate from the criminal trial. The trial involved allegations made by six women. Their accounts formed a central part of the prosecution’s case. In Britain, women who make sexual assault allegations are legally given lifelong anonymity outside the courtroom. This protection continues even after a jury delivers its verdict. Brand mostly gave short answers when he testified during the trial. He admitted that he had misused his fame to obtain sex but denied committing sexual offences. None of the women featured in that investigation were among the six women whose allegations were examined by the jury.
The women told the court that some of the alleged assaults happened only moments after they had first met Brand.
