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LONDON: British comedian and former television presenter Russell Brand faced a jury on Wednesday as prosecutors accused him of being a “sexual predator” who allegedly used charm and manipulation to target women.
Brand, 51, faces seven sexual offence charges involving six women over alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009. He denies all the charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones presented the prosecution’s case at Southwark Crown Court in London. She told jurors that the alleged offences occurred as Brand’s entertainment career was gaining momentum.
The youngest complainant was 21 at the time of the alleged incident, the court heard. Several women came forward after media reports about Brand in 2023 and his initial charging in 2025, according to the prosecution.
Karmy-Jones alleged that Brand continued despite some women saying no. She described his pursuit of sexual contact as “indiscriminate and voracious”.
The prosecutor said Brand used his charm and comic talents to get what he wanted. She also described him as demanding and entitled in his interactions with women.
“He was ruthless, calculated and manipulative, and the prosecution say — a sexual predator,” Karmy-Jones told the jury.
The court will not disclose the complainants’ identities during the trial.
The prosecution outlined several allegations involving encounters at hotels, workplaces and other locations. These remain allegations and have not been established as facts in court.
The first complainant met Brand when he performed at a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth in 1999, Karmy-Jones said. The woman later invited him to her hotel room, where he allegedly pushed her onto a bed and raped her without a condom.
Another woman alleged that Brand tried to drag her into a toilet cubicle at MTV’s offices in 2001. She resisted, according to the prosecution.
A third complainant said she met Brand at a London bar in 2004. He allegedly grabbed her breasts and pulled her into a toilet cubicle, where he sexually assaulted her. The prosecutor said Brand had told the woman not to be a “spoilsport”.
Another woman alleged that Brand visited the radio station where she worked in 2004 or 2005. He allegedly kissed her aggressively and grabbed her breasts and buttocks.
A further complainant said she had consensual oral and vaginal sex with Brand at his home in 2009. She alleged that he then forced her to have anal sex without her consent and without a condom.
The final charge concerns an incident in a recording studio in 2009, according to the prosecution. The complainant worked for Channel 4 television and was working with Brand at the time.
Karmy-Jones said members of Brand’s production team told the woman she had to give him a massage. Brand then allegedly pressed his face into her groin.
According to the prosecution, Brand responded to police with prepared statements in each complainant’s case. He said he did not remember the women and maintained that any sexual activity had been consensual.
Karmy-Jones also told jurors that people who knew Brand recalled him boasting about his sexual ambitions. She cited an alleged statement in which he said he wanted to “bed 5,000 women in his lifetime”.
The prosecutor also quoted him as saying, “you have to tell them what they need to hear”. She argued that the remarks illustrated how manipulative he could be.
Brand faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. He has denied every charge.
The trial is expected to last around six weeks, although proceedings could continue into December.
Brand rose to prominence as a stand-up comedian before becoming a familiar face on MTV, Channel 4 and the BBC. He also wrote newspaper columns and two autobiographies before moving into Hollywood films.
His public profile grew further through his high-profile marriage to US pop star Katy Perry, which ended in divorce.
In recent years, Brand has developed a following around conservative and faith-based commentary on social media. He now lives in Florida with his family.
The trial has attracted substantial media attention, with British outlets launching dedicated podcasts and US broadcasters reporting from outside the court.
The proceedings will examine the charges and the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defence.
