Russell Brand, the popular conspiracy-minded YouTuber who first found fame as a comedy and acting star, was found guilty in a London court on Thursday of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
He was found not guilty of two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The jury, at Southwark Crown Court in London, took about eight and a half hours to reach its unanimous decisions, which concerned episodes that prosecutors said involved six women and occurred between 1999 and 2009, a period when Mr. Brand was becoming a public figure.
The judge, Joel Bennathan, said he would sentence Mr. Brand, 51, to “significant custodial time” on Monday and denied him bail. Under British sentencing guidelines for rape, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment, although a more typical prison term is four to 19 years.
Mr. Brand could also face further legal challenges related to his past sexual behavior. A spokeswoman for London’s police said in an emailed statement after the verdicts that officers had questioned Mr. Brand about two further accusations of rape and submitted files to prosecutors. He has also faced a civil action in the United States. » | Alex Marshall | Reporting from Southwark Crown Court in London | Thursday, November 5, 2026
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