Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault
British comedian and actor will appear in a London court in May
The British comedian and actor Russell Brand on Friday was charged with rape, indecent assault and oral rape as well as two counts of sexual assault following an investigation launched by the British newspaper The Times.
The newspaper reported that Scotland Yard confirmed the charges related to historical sex offences against four women between 1999 and 2005 and are alleged to have taken place in Bournemouth and London.
Brand is expected to appear in court in London on May 2.
In a statement, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers."
He added that the Met's investigation remains open and called for anyone who has information about the case to come forward and speak with police.
The charges come following an investigation into Brand’s treatment of women by British newspapers The Times, The Sunday Times and UK's Channel 4’s Dispatches.
Brand denied the allegations and said his relationships had all been consensual.
Brand, who was born in Essex, emerged as a British television personality in the mid-2000s before a meteoric rise to fame that took him to Hollywood.
He has often spoken about his turbulent youth and drug taking in his teenage years. Since giving up drugs and alcohol in 2002, Brand has become a champion of causes related to addiction and has worked with a number of recovery organisations.
He was married to the American pop star Katy Perry for a year before marrying Laura Gallagher in 2017 with whom he has three children.
The British newspaper The Times reported that in recent years Brand has reinvented himself as an online influencer and wellness guru and frequently publishes online videos discussing conspiracy theories, online bible readings, and yoga and meditation videos.