Russell Brand arrives at London court for pre-trial hearings on sexual assault charges

Russell Brand arrived at Southwark Crown Court in London on Tuesday for the first of two days of pre-trial hearings related to charges of rape and sexual assault. The comedian and actor, 51, was seen arriving in a black Mercedes, wearing a grey suit jacket and sunglasses, and was accompanied by a security guard and another woman.

Brand entered the court silently for the legal arguments scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. His trial is anticipated to begin the following Monday and is expected to last up to 10 weeks.

The charges against Brand, initially brought in April 2025, include one count of rape, one of indecent assault, one of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The Crown Prosecution Service added two further charges, one of rape and one of sexual assault, in December.

Court filings detail accusations including the alleged rape of a woman in a hotel room during a political conference, pinning another woman against a wall at a London radio station before allegedly groping her, and the oral rape of a woman at a Westminster bar. Specific allegations also mention a 1999 incident at a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth and a 2004 incident involving a TV worker at a radio station.

Brand has consistently denied all allegations, asserting that he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity. In a social media post in April of the previous year, he stated, "I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile. But what I never was was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity."

Previously, during an earlier court appearance, Brand was seen carrying a bible and wearing an animal print shirt and white hat. When asked about his feelings outside the court, he responded, "Blessed."

Brand, who has a home in Florida, has had a varied career as a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and actor, known for shows like Big Brother's Big Mouth and films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek. He was married to pop star Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 and has been married to Laura Gallacher since 2017, with whom he has three children. Earlier this year, he sold The Crown Inn, a historic property near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, which he had planned to use partially as a recording studio.