{
  "id": 15663453,
  "title": "Woman tells UK court that comedian Russell Brand raped her",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/woman-tells-uk-court-that-comedian-russell-brand-raped-her",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T22:17:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3371433/woman-tells-uk-court-comedian-russell-brand-raped-her"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A woman testified in a UK court that comedian Russell Brand had sexually assaulted her at a London bar in 2004. Brand, a well-known British actor and former husband of Katy Perry, is currently on trial for six counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault against six women between 1999 and 2009. The 51-year-old denies all allegations, stating that he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity. The accuser, who worked for MTV, said she approached Brand at the bar hoping to meet him because she found him amusing on television. Less than a minute into their conversation, she claims Brand grabbed her breasts and displayed a \"weird, maniacal grin.\" Immediately afterward, she says he grabbed her arm, dragged her to the nearby toilets, and allegedly performed oral rape. She rejects her lawyer's assertion that she was excited to meet him and firmly denies the allegations, stating she was not \"star struck\" and had not been ashamed in the past. The trial, expected to last about six weeks, continues.",
  "summary": "A woman told police that British actor and comedian Russell Brand had grabbed her breasts before dragging her into a toilet at a bar and orally raping her, a London court heard on Monday. Brand, once one of Britain’s most high-profile broadcasters and the former husband of US singer Katy Perry, is on trial accused of three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault…",
  "key_points": [
    "Comedian Russell Brand faces six rape charges in UK court.",
    "Accuser, former MTV employee, alleges assault in 2004.",
    "Trial to last six weeks, Brand denies all allegations."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "Russell Brand sexual assault trial",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/russell-brand-sexual-assault-trial",
        "published": "2026-10-19T19:46:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "Russell Brand sexual assault trial",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/russell-brand-sexual-assault-trial-15651402",
        "published": "2026-10-19T19:46:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "This Day",
        "title": "Court Grants N3m Bail to Woman over Alleged Cyberstalking of Okoya",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/court-grants-n3m-bail-to-woman-over-alleged-cyberstalking-of-okoya",
        "published": "2026-10-19T23:57:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}