{
  "id": 18438574,
  "title": "Will Russell Brand be the last predatory celeb to hide in the open? Depends on us, not him",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/will-russell-brand-be-the-last-predatory-celeb-to-hide-in-the-open",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-06T04:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
    "slug": "the-sydney-morning-herald",
    "url": "https://www.smh.com.au/culture/celebrity/will-russell-brand-be-the-last-predatory-celeb-to-hide-in-the-open-depends-on-us-not-him-20261106-p61brl.html?ref=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty by a London jury of one rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women. According to KBC and Malay Mail, the verdicts were delivered unanimously at Southwark Crown Court. Brand was acquitted of two rapes and one count of attempted indecent assault against two other women. The Conversation AU reports that the offences for which Brand was convicted occurred nearly two decades ago.\n\nFollowing the verdicts, Brand was remanded in custody and faces sentencing on Monday. Judge Joel Bennathan warned the 51-year-old that he faces a \"significant custodial term.\" KBC and Malay Mail report that the Metropolitan Police are investigating further allegations of rape involving two more women, including a 16-year-old schoolgirl. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated that Brand has been interviewed under caution in connection with these allegations.\n\nThe Sydney Morning Herald and The Age noted that Brand was previously named “shagger of the year” three times by The Sun newspaper and was enabled by powerful systems and the people for whom he made money.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "Police thank victims for their bravery after Russell Brand conviction.",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/police-thank-victims-for-their-bravery-after-russell-brand-conviction",
        "published": "2026-11-05T20:34:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "#SHOWBIZ: Russell Brand guilty of rape, three sexual assaults",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/showbiz-russell-brand-guilty-of-rape-three-sexual-assaults",
        "published": "2026-11-06T02:08:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KBC",
        "title": "Media personality Russell Brand guilty of rape, three assaults",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/media-personality-russell-brand-guilty-of-rape-three-assaults",
        "published": "2026-11-06T02:37:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Conversation AU",
        "title": "Justice, accountability, more questions: what Russell Brand’s guilty verdict means for victim-survivors",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/justice-accountability-more-questions-what-russell-brands-guilty",
        "published": "2026-11-06T03:15:42.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}