Comedian and actor Russell Brand was today granted bail after appearing at a London court hearing to face charges of rape and sexual assault against four women.
Brand, 49, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, address and that he understood his bail conditions during a short hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
He did not speak to reporters as he walked into Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday after flying back to the UK from the US for the hearing.
The British comic wore a casual unbuttoned shirt and sunglasses on top of faded black jeans as he was escorted by police through photographers and press.
The actor was charged by post last month with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four separate women.
The court heard Brand was alleged to have raped a woman at a hotel in Bournemouth in 1999 following a theatrical event while she attended a Labour Party conference in the town.
It is alleged that while the woman went to the bathroom, Brand removed some of his clothing and later pushed her on the bed, removed her underwear and raped her.
The court was then told about the second of Brand’s alleged victims, who accuses him of indecent assault.
Brand is accused of grabbing the woman by her forearm and attempting to drag her into a male toilet at a television station.
The court heard the third alleged victim was a television worker Brand met in Soho. He is accused of grabbing her breasts before allegedly pulling her into a toilet and orally raping her.
The final complainant is a radio station worker who met Brand while he was working for Channel 4 on Big Brother’s Big Mouth, the court heard.
Brand is alleged to have grabbed her by the face with both hands, pushed her against a wall and kissed her before grabbing her breasts and buttocks.
He will appear at the Old Bailey on May 30.
The charges came following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches in September 2023 in which several women accused him of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse.
In a video posted on his X account this week, Brand said he welcomed the opportunity to prove his innocence.
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‘I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and I’m incredibly grateful for that,’ he said, adding: ‘I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity, and I pray that you can see that in my eyes.’
Brand found fame in the 2000s from his comedy work on panel shows, as an MTV and Big Brother’s Big Mouth host, and through appearing in various films including St Trinians, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Get Him to the Greek.
In recent years, he’s better known for his social and political commentary in his podcast appearances, as well as his YouTube and Rumble videos, in which he shares his views and conspiracy theories.
Days before the joint investigation was published in September 2023, Brand took to social media to ‘absolutely refute’ some ‘very serious allegations’.
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