British comedian Russell Brand was convicted Thursday of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for about eight hours across two days.
Six women had accused Brand of rape or sexual assault during the years when he was among Britain’s best-known entertainers. He denied the allegations, telling the court that his sexual encounters had been consensual. He also said he had been addicted to sex when he was younger.
“My entire life has been consumed by these events, these allegations, these accusations,” Brand told the jury.
Police official Andy Furphy said Brand had used his fame and influence to exploit women, adding that his sense of entitlement appeared to grow as his profile rose.
One conviction concerned an incident at Brand’s home in 2009. The woman said she met him after a comedy show and initially agreed to have sex with him. She testified that he then raped her anally, causing physical injuries, and continued after she asked him to stop.
Another conviction involved the sexual assault of a woman at a London birthday party in 2004. Brand was acquitted of other sexual assault allegations.
Prosecutors also referred to a passage in Brand’s 2007 memoir, My Booky Wook, in which he wrote that, when he wanted something, he would push aside whatever stood in his way until he got it.
Brand’s lawyers argued that the women had gone to police only after a 2023 Channel 4 documentary aired anonymous allegations against him.
Judge Joel Bennathan refused Brand’s request for bail so he could spend time with his three children, saying there was too great a risk he might leave before sentencing. The judge acknowledged the effect on the children but said their hardship stemmed from their father’s serious criminal conduct.
Legal commentators have said Brand could receive a lengthy prison term, potentially including life imprisonment.
Brand’s wife testified as a character witness during the four-week trial. In recent years, he has appeared less often in the public eye and built a following around wellness and spirituality. He has quoted the Bible and said he became a Christian; critics have accused him of invoking religion to deflect the allegations.
