Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault offences in England

On 4 April 2025, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which decides prosecutions in England and Wales, authorised charges against the comedian and actor Russell Brand. They covered offences against four women between 1999 and 2005, when Brand was building his career in British radio, television and film.

The charges were one count of rape, one of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two of sexual assault. The Metropolitan Police had investigated after allegations were published in September 2023 by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme. Brand, who had by then moved to the United States and built an online following, said he was innocent and denied the allegations.

The decision mattered because it turned a media investigation into a criminal case against one of Britain's best-known entertainers. It was followed by a first appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, and the case was then sent to Southwark Crown Court for trial. Brand was released on bail, and the proceedings set the timeline for the trial that later drew wide public attention.