Actor-Comedian Russell Brand Charged with Rape and Assault by British Police

British police have charged actor-comedian Russell Brand with rape and multiple counts of assault connected to a number of allegations between 1999 and 2005, according to a police statement released on Friday.

Brand, who is 50 years old and the former husband of U.S. pop singer Katy Perry, was once one of Britain’s most high-profile comedians and broadcasters. In recent years, he has repositioned himself as an internet social commentator.

The charges against Brand, who resides in Oxfordshire, southern England, include one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. These charges relate to four separate women.

“The investigation remains open, and detectives are urging anyone who has been affected by this case or anyone with information to come forward and speak with police,” the statement said.

In 2023, the Sunday Times newspaper and Channel 4 TV’s documentary show Dispatches reported that four women had accused Brand of sexual assaults, including a rape, between 2006 and 2013.

Brand has previously denied any allegations of non-consensual sex.