Russell Brand entered a plea of not guilty to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault at a London courthouse on Friday, May 30, according to The New York Times.

The hearing, which lasted approximately 10 minutes, saw Brand standing in a plexiglass enclosure at the rear of the courtroom. He responded to each charge with a declaration of “Not guilty.” The judge has scheduled the commencement of Brand’s trial for June 3, 2026, with an estimated duration of four to five weeks.

Brand is currently facing five counts: rape, oral rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault. these charges are related to alleged incidents involving four women, said to have occured between 1999 and 2005.

During a hearing earlier in May, Brand was granted conditional bail. The terms of his bail require him to keep the court informed of his whereabouts, nonetheless of whether he is residing in the U.K.or the U.S., where he primarily lives in Florida. He is also mandated to attend all future court hearings, with potential custody as a consequence of any violations.

During the May 2 hearing,prosecutors provided details regarding the charges against brand. He is accused of raping a woman in 1999 at a Bournemouth hotel room following a Labor Party conference. A second woman alleges that he grabbed her forearm and attempted to pull her into a TV station bathroom in 2001. A third woman claims that Brand grabbed her breast, forced her into a bathroom, and orally raped her in 2004.The fourth woman, who met Brand while working on a Big brother spin-off between 2004 and 2005, alleges that he grabbed her face, pushed her against a wall, kissed her, and grabbed her breasts and buttocks.

Investigation and Brand’s Response

The Metropolitan Police initiated their investigation into Brand in September 2023, following public reports of the allegations in The Times and Channel 4’s investigative program, Dispatches.

“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.”

Brand has consistently denied all accusations. In a social media video released in April after the charges were filed,he stated,”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.”

Understanding Sexual Assault and Consent