UK prosecutors have brought two additional criminal charges against comedian Russell Brand, adding to five existing counts. Brand denies all allegations, with a trial scheduled for June 2025.

LONDON — British prosecutors have charged comedian and actor Russell Brand with two additional criminal counts of rape and sexual assault against two women. The new charges, announced by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on December 23, allege offenses that occurred in 2009.

These new charges bring the total number of criminal counts against Brand to seven. He was previously charged in April 2024 with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault, as reported by the Guardian. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The New Charges and Brand’s Response

The latest charges are one count of rape and one count of sexual assault concerning two separate women. Brand was notified of these charges while appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for a pre-trial hearing related to the first set of allegations.

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In a video posted to Instagram on December 23, Brand did not directly address the new charges but spoke of a “time of great darkness.” He stated he felt “blessed” to have the opportunity to “atone for the many things over the years that I did wrong” and offered prayers for anyone he had “harmed or hurt” in his years of “mindlessness and sin.”

Background and Initial Denials

The police investigation into Brand began after allegations were made public in a joint investigation by UK media outlets Channel 4 and The Sunday Times in September 2023. Following the initial charges in April 2024, Brand released a video on social media firmly denying any criminal activity.

“I was a drug addict, a sex addict, and an imbecile, but what I never was a rapist,” Brand said in the video. “I’ve never engaged in nonconsensual activity… Of course, I’m now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Legal Proceedings and Next Steps

Brand is next scheduled to appear in court on January 20, 2025, for a plea hearing regarding the two new charges. A trial for all seven charges has been scheduled for June 2, 2025, at Southwark Crown Court and is expected to last four to five weeks.

Source: Statements from the UK Crown Prosecution Service and Metropolitan Police; social media statements from Russell Brand; previous reporting from The BBC and The Guardian.

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Russell Brand, Rape Charges, Sexual Assault Charges, UK Court Case, Crown Prosecution Service, Celebrity News, Legal News, Entertainment News, #MeToo, Trial 2025