Russell Brand’s rape and sexual assault trial is underway at Southwark Crown Court in London, where the comedian and actor faces seven charges involving six women. Brand, 51, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault.
The prosecution began presenting its case on Wednesday, October 14, after jury selection earlier in the week. Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC told jurors that the six women did not know one another and came forward independently. She said the alleged offenses stretched from 1999 to 2009, covering years when Brand was moving from stand-up comedy into radio, television and film.
On Thursday, the first woman to accuse Brand of rape gave evidence about an alleged encounter at a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth in 1999. Reuters reported that the woman told jurors she did not consent to sex and said she was frightened by Brand during the encounter.
The woman said she had invited Brand to her hotel room after meeting him at a political event. According to her account, Brand later became aggressive and ignored her attempts to make him stop. She told the court that she did not report the allegation at the time because she felt ashamed and feared she would not be believed.
Brand denies that he raped the woman or committed any of the offenses alleged in the case.
The first witness called by the prosecution on Wednesday was Mark Pinheiro, a former friend and flatmate of Brand. Pinheiro told the court that Brand returned after the 1999 event appearing unsettled and said he thought he might have gone “a bit too far” with a woman. The prosecution has presented that statement as part of its account of what happened around the time of the alleged assault.
Jurors were also given an overview of the other allegations. One woman who worked at MTV has accused Brand of indecent assault. Another allegation concerns an incident connected with Capital Radio in 2004. The prosecution also described allegations involving women who encountered Brand later in his career, including one woman who met him after a performance at the Hammersmith Apollo in London in 2009.
In that 2009 allegation, prosecutors said an encounter that initially involved consensual sexual activity later became non-consensual. The woman is one of two additional complainants whose allegations led to new charges authorized in December 2025. The Crown Prosecution Service said at the time that those charges involved alleged offenses in 2009 and were separate from the four women connected with the original case.
Karmy-Jones told the jury that the prosecution would argue that Brand used charm and humor to gain women’s trust but could become demanding when he wanted sex. She described him as “ruthless, calculated and manipulative.” Those descriptions are allegations made by the prosecution and have not been established as fact.
The Associated Press reported that prosecutors portrayed the accusations as part of a pattern extending across a decade. The alleged incidents occurred in different settings, including a hotel, workplaces and entertainment venues. The defense will have the opportunity to challenge the prosecution’s evidence and question the witnesses as the trial continues.
Brand has consistently denied wrongdoing. He has said that he never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity, and he has entered not guilty pleas to all seven charges. Under British law, the charges are allegations unless and until they are proven in court.
Outside court before the prosecution opened its case, Brand told Sky News that he was “concerned but hopeful” about the proceedings. His lawyers are expected to challenge the accounts presented by prosecutors as witnesses continue to give evidence.
The case developed after a police investigation that followed a 2023 media investigation into allegations against Brand. The Crown Prosecution Service first authorized five charges in April 2025 involving four women and alleged offenses between 1999 and 2005. Two more charges, involving two additional women and alleged events in 2009, were authorized in December 2025.
The prosecution service has repeatedly reminded the public that Brand is entitled to a fair trial and that reporting or online commentary should not prejudice the proceedings. The identities of complainants in sexual offense cases are also protected under British law.
Brand became one of Britain’s most recognizable comedians and broadcasters during the 2000s. He later appeared in Hollywood films including *Forgetting Sarah Marshall* and *Get Him to the Greek*. In recent years, he has built a large online audience through videos and commentary on politics, religion, health and culture.
The trial is being heard before Mr Justice Bennathan. Jurors have been instructed to decide the case only on the evidence presented in court and to ignore previous media coverage about Brand or allegations that are not part of the trial.
The proceedings are expected to continue for several weeks. The prosecution is still presenting evidence, and the defense has not yet completed its response to the allegations before the jury.