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London’s Metropolitan Police have charged comedian Russell Brand with rape, indecent assault, and sexual assault.
The charges come on the heels of an investigation that began in 2023, when five women accused Brand of varying acts of sexual misconduct.
Brand is scheduled to appear in London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 2.
Charges against Brand follow 18-month investigation
News of the charges comes courtesy of a statement from Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy.
“The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers,” Furphy said in a statement issued on Friday.
“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”
Brand has now been charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault.
A laundry list of appalling allegations
Police interest in Brand’s alleged crimes began with a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 current affairs show Dispatches, the results of which were made public in September 2023.
One alleged victim said Brand assaulted her when she was 16 (he was then in his 30s) during a three-month “emotionally and sexually abusive” relationship that included one instance where he “forced his penis down her throat,” causing her to choke.
In another example, she claims he removed a condom during intercourse without her knowledge.
The woman also said Brand nicknamed her “the child,” asked her to read passages from Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita during their time together, and once kissed her mother “on the mouth.”
A second alleged victim told the publication she was raped by the comedian in his Los Angeles home in 2012 — while a third, who was working with him in Los Angeles, said he sexually assaulted her at his West Hollywood home in 2013 and threatened to take legal action if she ever spoke about the incident in public.
Others who spoke to the newspaper accused Brand of flashing his private parts and showing them intimate photos of other women. One female comedian said Brand would repeatedly “bite” her face any time she saw him.
Brand responded with a YouTube video in which he smugly denied the allegations.
“I’ve received two extremely disturbing letters, or a letter and an email, one from a mainstream media TV company, one from a newspaper, listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks,” he said.
“But amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute.”
Brand has yet to publicly respond to the news that he’s been formally charged. We’ll have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.