Russell Brand arrives at court to face charges of rape and sexual assault – live updates

At the time of the alleged offences, Brand was at the height of his stardom, working for BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4 as well as appearing in Hollywood films.

He rose to fame with his stand-up performances, making his Edinburgh Festival debut in 2000 before achieving prominence as host of Big Brother’s spin-off show Big Mouth from 2004 for three years.

However, in 2008, he and presenter Jonathan Ross were at the centre of a furore after leaving a series of hurtful messages during a prank on BBC Radio 2 on the answerphone of Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs, who died in 2016.

The pre-recorded show caused uproar, prompting Brand and the controller of Radio 2 to quit, Ross to be suspended from broadcasting for three months and a shake-up in the way BBC output was vetted.

Brand’s career in the US soared following the Sachsgate scandal, starring in a number of major Hollywood films including Forgetting Sarah Marshall opposite Kristen Bell, and Get Him To The Greek with Jonah Hill, both in which he plays the same anarchic British rock star Aldous Snow.

During this time, Brand met US pop star Katy Perry at the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2009 and after enjoying a whirlwind romance, Brand proposed outside the Taj Mahal in India two months later.

The couple were married at a lavish ceremony conducted by a friend of the bride’s family at the Aman-e-Khas luxury resort outside the Ranthambore tiger sanctuary in India in October 2010 but split 14 months later.

Russell Brand has arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court ahead of his appearance this morning.

Brand says he ‘welcomes’ rape and sex assault charges claiming ‘I know I’m innocent’ ahead of landing in the UK for his first hearing this morning.

The 49-year-old landed at Heathrow at 6.45am yesterday after flying first class from Atlanta, USA, and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.

After landing he was taken to the Windsor Suite for VIPs who pay £4,000 to arrive or depart without going through public areas, the Sun reports.

And in a video posted to X, ahead of travelling back to the UK, Brand said: ‘I want a trial because I know that I’m innocent.’

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Last month, the Metropolitan Police charged Brand – who lives in Florida – by post with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four different women, and issued a court summons.

The alleged incidents took place between 1999 and 2005, and Brand is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.

He is charged with the rape of a woman in 1999 in the Bournemouth area and the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in the Westminster area of London.

Essex-born Brand was also charged with indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 and sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005. Both offences are alleged to have taken place in Westminster.

Criminal charges were brought against Brand following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches in September 2023.

The scene outside Westminster Magistrates Court this morning

Hello and welcome to our live coverage as actor and comedian Russell Brand appears at court charged with rape and sexual assault.

The 49-year-old is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court this morning.

He was accused of multiple sex offences and emotional abuse by several women in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches in September 2023.

Brand has denied any wrongdoing and said all his sexual relationships were consensual.

Stick with us for the latest updates with the Daily Mail’s Crime Editor Rebecca Camber reporting from Westminster Crown Court alongside Jamie Bullen in London.