Russell Brand pleads not guilty to new rape and sexual assault charges
British actor and presenter Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to two additional sexual offence charges, including one count of rape, DPA reported Tuesday.
He had previously denied two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault related to alleged offences said to have occurred between 1999 and 2005 and involving four women, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.
On Tuesday, at Southwark Crown Court, the 50-year-old entered not guilty pleas to two further charges — one of rape and one of sexual assault — connected to alleged incidents said to have taken place in 2009.
Present in court, Brand spoke only to confirm his name and to formally deny the new accusations brought against him. The latest alleged offences are said to have occurred in London.
In previous hearings, Brand was accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she was attending the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, and of inappropriately touching a television presenter before allegedly sexually assaulting her in a men’s restroom. He is also accused of similar conduct involving a radio station employee.
Another of the initial five charges concerns a separate woman whom Brand allegedly indecently assaulted while attempting to drag her into a men’s restroom.
Born in 1975 in Essex, east of London, Brand began his career as a stand-up comedian in his teens. He became known for a provocative and often explicit style of humor before establishing himself as a film and television actor. In recent years, he has repositioned himself as an anti-establishment commentator and promoter of conspiracy theories, attracting millions of followers online.
Brand was married to American pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012. He has nearly 7 million subscribers on YouTube, 11.3 million followers on X, and 4.8 million followers on Instagram.
