ALBAWABA - British comedian Russell Brand faces rape and assault charges in the UK, with court appearance scheduled.
Actor-comedian Russell Brand was charged by British police on Friday with several counts of assault and rape in cases involving four different women from 1999 to 2005.
When the accusations initially surfaced in 2023, the 50-year-old, who was once one of Britain's most well-known presenters and the ex-husband of American pop singer Katy Perry, rejected them and claimed he had never engaged in non-consensual sex. On Friday, he was not immediately available for comment.
According to the police, Brand, who resides in Oxfordshire, southern England, was charged with two counts of sexual assault, one case of oral rape, one offense of indecent assault, and one count of rape.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 24: (EDITORS NOTE: Retransmission with alternate crop.) Russell Brand (Photo by KEVORK DJANSEZIAN / Getty Images via AFP)
According to authorities, Brand's first court appearance is scheduled for May 2.
He frequently appeared on British TVs in the 2000s and was well-known for his flashy look and manner. Prior to his 2010 marriage to Perry, he was a BBC employee and starred in several movies, including "Get Him to the Greek." After 14 months, they got divorced.
He had become less visible in popular culture by the early 2020s, mostly appearing on his internet channel where he expresses his opinions on free speech and American politics.
He made headlines again in September 2023 after the rape claims were covered by the Sunday Times newspaper and the television series "Dispatches" on Channel 4 TV.
They claimed that between 2006 and 2013, four women had accused Brand of rape and other sexual crimes. A few weeks later, the Met police in London launched a sex crimes probe.
Then he "absolutely refuted" the accusations, according to Brand.
"These accusations include my period working in the mainstream, appearing in newspapers frequently, and appearing in motion pictures. Additionally, I was extremely promiscuous, as I have detailed in my novels," he remarked.
"Now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual."
According to the police, their investigation is still ongoing.
"Detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with the police," the police statement stated.
