Russell Brand has been granted bail following a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court.
The comedian, actor and television presenter has been charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault and one count of oral rape, plus two counts of sexual assault.
Accusations come from four different women and are in connection to incidents in Bournemouth and London, which are alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2005.
The allegations were made public for the first time in a 2023 investigation by Channel 4's Dispatches titled Russell Brand: In Plain Sight, carried out in partnership with newspapers The Times and The Sunday Times.
Brand has strongly denied the accusations, most recently telling followers on X: "I was a drug addict, a sex addict, and an imbecile – but what I never was, was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity."
In court today (per Sky News), he said very little, only confirming his name, date of birth, address and his understanding of the conditions of the bail. The case is now referred up to the Old Bailey, a Crown Court, where Brand is scheduled to appear on Friday 30th May.
The charges were read out during the hearing, referring to an alleged rape in a Bournemouth hotel room in 1999 and an alleged indecent assault at a television studio in 2001.
The charges also concern an alleged oral rape and sexual assault in London in 2004, and another alleged sexual assault between 2004 and 2005 at a radio station.
Brand was living in the United States when the Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charges, which were made via post. He had provided the court with both his US and UK addresses.
The 49-year-old became famous around the world for roles in comedy films and popular stand-up tours, but has more recently been known for his political views and social media output.
