The rape and sexual assault trial involving Russell Brand has been delayed until October because jurors are in short supply over the summer holidays.
Brand, 50, is accused of three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault, with six different women alleging crimes from 1999 to 2009. He denies all charges.
The comedian and actor was first charged with the alleged offences against four of the women in April 2025, and his trial was set to start at Southwark Crown Court on June 16 this year.
However, after fresh charges involving two new complainants were brought against him, it was agreed by Mr Justice Bennathan at a hearing on Monday that the trial would be delayed until October 12.
The judge said the court may have run out of time to hear the case if it began in mid-June, and raised concerns about procuring jurors who would sit through the start of the summer months.
Brand’s original trial was scheduled to last five weeks, but in light of the fresh claims is now expected to last approximately two months.
Brand, of Hambleden in Buckinghamshire, was represented by barrister Ian Winter KC at Monday’s hearing, and was not present in court himself.
He has already appeared twice at the courthouse to enter not guilty pleas to the allegations.
Russell Brand’s (pictured) trial over allegations of rape and sexual assault has been delayed until October
Brand (pictured) is accused of three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault, with six different women alleging crimes from 1999 to 2009
At Monday’s hearing, Mr Bennathan formally joined together the two sets of charges Brand faces.
He is accused of raping a woman at a hotel room in Bournemouth as she attended a Labour Party conference in 1999, and grabbing the breasts of a TV worker before orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet in 2004.
Brand also faces claims he grabbed the face of a radio station worker, pushing her against a wall and kissing her before groping her buttocks and breasts.
Brand attended his last court hearing, carrying a bible and donning an unbuttoned animal print shirt and white hat.
When asked how he felt outside court, he told reporters: ‘Blessed.’
Brand became one of Britain’s best-known stand-up comedians after coming onto the scene in the 1990s, and went onto present Big Brother spin-off shows Big Brother’s Big Mouth and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack.
He was married to pop star Katy Perry from October 2010 until July 2012 and is now married to Laura Gallacher – sister of sports presenter Kirsty – with whom he has three children.
Brand has a home in Buckinghamshire but now lives in the US.
He has been granted bail during the criminal proceedings.
