Comedian and actor Russell Brand has arrived at court to face rape and sexual assault charges.
Police had to battle to hold back the crowd of photographers as Brand arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court.
He arrived wearing gold rimmed sunglasses, a black shirt and trousers.
At least six police officers had to intervene as the defendant was immediately surrounded.
As he queued for security inside the court, Brand was seen touching a lawyer’s shoulder seemingly to check they were ok.
Brand was accompanied by his solicitor, Oliver Schneider- Sikorsky who successfully defended Kevin Spacey against sex assault allegations in 2023.
The 49-year-old was charged by post last month with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four separate women.
The charges came following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches in September 2023 in which several women accused him of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse.
Comedian and actor Russell Brand has arrived at court to face rape and sexual assault charges
Police had to battle to hold back the crowd of photographers as Brand arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court
He arrived wearing gold rimmed sunglasses, a black shirt and trousers
At least six police officers had to intervene as the defendant was immediately surrounded
As he queued for security inside the court, Brand was seen touching a lawyer’s shoulder seemingly to check they were ok
In a video previously posted on his X account, Brand said he welcomed the opportunity to prove his innocence.
Brand 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.
The 2004 sexual assault charge alleges the actor touched the woman’s breasts without her consent.
He is also accused of indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 by ‘grabbing her arm and dragging her towards a male toilet’, and sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005 – both offences are alleged to have taken place in Westminster, London.
Brand, who presented a BBC Radio 2 show between 2006 and 2008, left the role after his on-air prank, now known as Sachsgate, when he left a ‘lewd’ voicemail for Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter.
He also presented on Big Brother spin-off shows Big Brother’s Big Mouth and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack in the noughties.
The TV and film star was married to US pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 but is now married to Laura Gallacher, the sister of presenter Kirsty, and the pair have two children, Mabel and Peggy.
