Comedian Russell Brand appears in UK court for start of rape trial
LONDON: British comedian and actor Russell Brand arrived at a London court on Monday for the start of his trial on multiple charges of rape and sexual assault.
British comedian Russell Brand appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday to commence his trial over multiple rape and sexual assault allegations. The 51-year-old, known for his left-wing persona, has rebranded as a conservative figure on social media. Brand, accompanied by his wife Laura, donned a grey suit and sunglasses during his court appearance.
He faces seven charges, involving six women, spanning from 1999 to 2009. Brand pleaded not guilty to all allegations - three of rape, three of sexual assault, and one of indecent assault. Jury selection commenced on Monday, with the trial projected to last approximately 10 weeks. Born in 1975 in Essex, Brand started his stand-up career as a teenager before becoming an MTV presenter and reality TV host.
His career took a controversial turn when he left a sexually explicit voicemail for Andrew Sachs, an actor from "Fawlty Towers." Brand later married US pop star Katy Perry, but their union was brief.
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