British comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to fresh charges of rape and sexual assault relating to alleged incidents in 2009.
The 50-year-old, who is currently based in Florida, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday morning, where he formally denied the new allegations. He is accused of raping a woman between February 7 and March 1, 2009, and sexually assaulting another woman between August 31 and December 1 of the same year.
Russell Brand, who travelled from the United States to attend the hearing, spoke only to confirm his name and enter not guilty pleas. He is scheduled to face trial later this year in connection with the charges.
The former presenter and actor is already facing one count each of rape, indecent assault, and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, involving four separate women. He previously appeared in court in May last year to plead not guilty to those five charges. The two new charges relate to two additional complainants.
Detectives began investigating Russell Brand in September 2023 following multiple allegations that surfaced after reporting by The Sunday Times and Dispatches on Channel 4.
The earlier allegations span incidents said to have occurred between 1999 and 2005. Among them are claims that Brand raped a woman in a hotel in 1999 after meeting her at an event linked to the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth. He is also accused of raping a television worker in 2004 and of separate incidents of indecent and sexual assault involving other women during the early 2000s.
Russell Brand has publicly denied all allegations. In a video posted online after he was initially charged last year, he acknowledged past personal struggles but insisted he had never engaged in non-consensual activity.
A four-week trial relating to the five original charges is scheduled to begin at Southwark Crown Court later this summer.
