Russell Brand faces sentencing after guilty verdict in rape, sexual assault trial
Actor Russell Brand will be sentenced Monday in a U.K. courtroom after he was found guilty in a weekslong trial on charges of rape and sexual assault.
Brand, 51, was found guilty by a London jury on Nov. 5 on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Following the verdict, the judge overseeing the case said that given the crimes, he expects Brand to face prison time.
Brand had faced a total of seven charges against six women. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.
ABC News reached out to Brand's attorney for comment following last week's verdict but did not hear back.
The U.K.'s Metropolitan Police has said that detectives began investigating Brand in 2023 after allegations against the actor were reported by multiple U.K. news outlets.
In April 2025, Brand was charged with one count of rape and one count of oral rape, one count of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault in connection with alleged incidents from around two decades ago, according to the Metropolitan Police.
In a social media post that same month, Brand responded to the initial charges, writing, "I've always told you guys that when I was young and single, before I had my wife and family ... I was a fool, man, I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile. But what I never was, was a rapist. I've never engaged in nonconsensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes."
He then thanked his supporters, adding that he was "incredibly grateful" to defend the charges in court.
Several months later, in December 2025, the Crown Prosecution Service announced it had authorized further charges against Brand concerning two additional women.
Following Brand's guilty verdict, David Roberts, senior Crown Prosecutor in the London Rape and Serious Sexual Assault Unit, issued a statement, saying in part, "Russell Brand was predatory and used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes. ...Although his tactics varied, at the centre of every assault was an abuse of power and sexual greed, with a complete disregard for the impact of his actions."
In addition to acting and comedy, Brand has worked as a political commentator and wellness influencer.
In 2017, Brand married Laura Gallacher, who appeared with him in court throughout the trial. The couple has three children.
If you or someone you know is in need of help, the National Sexual Assault Hotline -- 800-656-HOPE -- is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also use the hotline's online chat option.
