Australian news LIVE: Russell Brand found guilty of rape, sexual assault charges; David Jones shelves stripped bare

British comedian Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults by a London jury, involving four women between 2005 and 2009. The offences, which took place in various locations including a radio station, a DVD recording set, and Brand's home, saw the 51-year-old actor cleared of two rapes and one count of attempted indecent assault.

Judge Joel Bennathan remanded Brand in custody and will sentence him on Monday, with the maximum penalty for rape in the UK being life imprisonment. The Metropolitan Police praised the courage of the women who came forward, with Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy stating that Brand exploited his influence and fame to sexually offend against women.

Senior prosecutor David Roberts described Brand's behavior as predatory and emphasized that he used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes. Brand's lawyer, Ian Winter, requested bail for his client to "put his affairs in order" and to say goodbye to his young children, but the judge refused, citing concerns over Brand's potential ability to face his sentence.

Brief written by urgent.news from Euronews's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.