British police said they charged actor-comedian Russell Brand on Friday with rape and multiple counts of assault in cases relating to four separate women between 1999 and 2005. - REUTERS
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00:00British police said they charged actor-comedian Russell Brand on Friday with rape and multiple
00:06counts of assault in cases relating to four separate women between 1999 and 2005.
00:14The 50-year-old, a former top British broadcaster, and Katy Perry's ex-husband denied the allegations
00:21in 2023 and said he had never had non-consensual sex. He could not immediately be reached for
00:27comment on Friday. Police said Brand was charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent
00:34assault, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault.
00:39Brand is due to appear in court for a first hearing on May 2, police said.
00:44In the 2000s, he was a regular on British screens, known for his flamboyant style and
00:49appearance. By the early 2020s, he had faded from mainstream culture, appearing primarily
00:56on his internet channel, where he airs his views on US politics and free speech.
01:02In September 2023, he returned to the headlines when the Sunday Times newspaper and Channel
01:074's show Dispatches reported the rape allegations. They said four women had accused Brand of
01:14sexual assaults, including a rape, between 2006 and 2013.
01:20Weeks later, London's Met Police opened the sex crimes investigation. Brand said then
01:25that he, quote, absolutely refuted the allegations. The police said their investigation is still open.