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Jury begins deliberating verdicts in Russell Brand rape trial

Jurors at Southwark Crown Court weigh seven charges tied to allegations by six women, and Brand denies all charges.

Published Nov 7, 2026 · 13:47 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • Jurors at Southwark Crown Court in London began considering verdicts after a three-week trial of Russell Brand.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Brand, 51, faces three rape counts, three sexual assault counts and one attempted indecent assault count, and has pleaded not guilty to all.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • The charges relate to allegations by six women from 1999 to 2009, which Brand disputes, saying his sexual encounters were consensual.[Associated Press · The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Any verdict must be unanimous across all 12 jurors, and no outcome had been reported in the sources.[Associated Press · The Guardian · BBC News]

Key facts

  • Jurors at Southwark Crown Court in London began considering verdicts after three weeks of evidence in the trial of Russell Brand.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Brand, 51, faces three rape counts, three sexual assault counts and one attempted indecent assault count, and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • The charges relate to allegations by six women spanning 1999 to 2009.[Associated Press · The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Judge Mr Justice Bennathan said he can only accept a verdict agreed by all 12 jurors.[Associated Press · The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Brand testified that he had been obsessed with sex in the past but said his encounters were always consensual, and he denied committing any crime.[Associated Press · BBC News]
  • Brand's wife Laura testified in his defence, describing him as caring, kind and a wonderful father.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • The defence argues the complainants delayed reporting and were influenced by a 2023 documentary, while prosecutors say the six women did not know each other and reported a similar pattern; these competing accounts remain disputed.[Associated Press · The Guardian · BBC News]
  • The verdicts were not yet known at the time of the reporting, and the sources do not report whether the jury will reach a unanimous decision.[Associated Press · The Guardian · BBC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.