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Comedian Russell Brand found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault

The judge said Brand faces a significant custodial sentence after jurors convicted him on four counts and acquitted him on three others.

  • On Thursday, November 5, 2026, a London jury convicted Russell Brand of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault after a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.
  • A 2023 joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches triggered the Metropolitan Police to launch Operation Actinolite, gathering evidence from more than 100 witnesses regarding incidents spanning 1999 to 2009.
  • Prosecutor David Roberts described Brand as a "ruthless, sexual predator," while defense barrister Ian Winter argued the encounters were consensual; six complainants testified about incidents at workplaces, residences, and backstage areas.
  • Warning of a "significant custodial term," Justice Bennathan ordered Brand immediately remanded into custody; he will remain detained until his sentencing hearing scheduled for Monday, November 9.
  • Police are investigating additional rape allegations involving two women, including a 16-year-old girl, with prosecutors considering whether to pursue further charges that could result in a second trial.
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Comedian Russell Brand, once one of Britain's best-known TV and radio hosts and star of several Hollywood films, faces a long prison sentence after a London court found him guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others on Thursday.

·Belgrade, Serbia
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The Crown Court of Southwark in London found him guilty of rape and sexual assault; the crimes for which he was investigated occurred between 1999 and 2009

·Vicente López, Argentina
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On Thursday, November 5, 2026, the London Criminal Court found actor and humorist Russell Brand guilty of rape and sexual assault. Qualified as a " ruthless sexual predator" during his trial, the 51-year-old Britishman was placed in pre-trial detention, as The Guardian said.

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Reuters broke the news in London, United Kingdom on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
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