Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

British police have charged Russell Brand with rape and sexual assault after an 18-month investigation.

London's Metropolitan Police force said the 50-year-old comedian and conspiracy theorist faces one count of rape, one of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two of sexual assault.

The charges pertain to four women, with crimes alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2005.

In September 2023, British media outlets Channel 4 and the Sunday Times published claims by four women of being sexually assaulted or raped by Brand. The accusers have not been identified.

Brand, whose comedy frequently revolved around graphic and even brutal sexual content, denies the allegations, saying his relationships were "always consensual".

Known for his unbridled and risqué standup, Brand rose to fame hosting radio and TV shows. He wrote memoirs charting his battles with drugs and alcohol, appeared in several Hollywood movies, and was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry.

In recent years, he has largely disappeared from mainstream media. However, he has built up a large following online with videos mixing alternative wellness advice and conspiracy theories, including "anti-globalist" narratives reminiscent of the radical QAnon movement.

He publicly converted to Christianity after the documentary on his alleged behaviour aired, and recently said he had moved to the US.

Brand is due to appear in a London court on May 2. Jaswant Narwal, of Britain's Crown Prosecution Service, said prosecutors "carefully reviewed the evidence after a police investigation into allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary in September 2023.

"We have concluded that Russell Brand should be charged with offences including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and the defendant has the right to a fair trial."