Actor Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault of four women
The Metropolitan Police charged comedian Russell Brand with rape, indecent assault, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault.
Russell Brand is facing new allegations of sexual assault, eight months after the comedian was dealt a slew of criminal charges in a sweeping investigation by London police.
The British comedian, 50, has been charged with two counts, one of rape and one of sexual assault, following additional claims by two women, the Metropolitan Police announced in a press release on Tuesday, Dec. 23.
The identities of the women were not disclosed.
“The women who have made reports, including those connected to the two new charges, continue to receive support from specially trained officers,” Detective Chief Inspector Tariq Farooqi said in a statement.
“The Met’s investigation remains ongoing, and detectives urge anyone affected by this case, or anyone with information, to come forward and speak with police.”
Representatives for Brand were not available for comment at the time of publication.
In April, Brand was charged with five counts of sexual assault — two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault — after police investigators uncovered numerous alleged incidents dating back to 1999. The criminal probe followed a growing body of reporting in the British press that accused Brand of inappropriate sexual behavior.
Detectives, who began their investigation in September 2023, claimed that Brand assaulted four women from 1999 to 2005: a rape in 1999, an indecent assault in 2001, an oral rape and sexual assault in 2004 and another sexual assault between 2004 and 2005.
Brand, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, pleaded not guilty to the charges in London court in May. He is due to stand trial in June 2026.
“We’re very fortunate in a way to live in a time where there’s so little trust in the British government,” Brand said in a video statement on Instagram in April. “We’re very fortunate, I suppose, that this is happening at a time where we know that the law has become a kind of weapon to be used against people.”
Brand is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 20, 2026, to address the new charges brought against him.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY