Russell Brand trial update: Key details about the rape and sexual assault case as trial begins in the UK

Russell Brand's trial has moved forward after jury selection took place at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday. The comedian and actor, known for Arthur & Get Him to the Greek, was accompanied by his wife, Laura Gallacher, in court.

As of now, Brand has denied all charges against him made by six women, which include three counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and three counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2009, according to The Independent. Brand is accused of raping and sexually assaulting women, groping them without consent, and forcing them into sexual acts.

Brand's trial might run for up to six weeks, according to judge Joel Bennathan as reported by Reuters, with the process of choosing jurors taking place on Monday. He is reportedly out on bail while waiting for the trial to continue.

More on the story below.

What to know about the Russell Brand trial update as jury selection concludes?

What is Russell Brand accused of?

Russell Brand is facing seven charges over claims made by six women about incidents that allegedly took place between 1999 and 2009. The six women have accused him of rape and sexual assault, along with other unwanted sexual acts. As of now, Brand has denied all the allegations made against him and has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.

Earlier this year, The Guardian reported that Brand spoke about his relationship with a 16-year-old, saying:

"I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30. When I was 30, I was a very different person. I was a lot younger, and I was an immature 30-year-old."

He also said that having relationships with many women while being famous gave him more power, which he now believes could have been unfair to them. He admitted that he had been selfish in the past and had not thought enough about how his actions affected the women he was with.

The case against Russell Brand includes claims of rape, along with other alleged sexual offenses in the UK. More information about the claims is expected to come out during the trial.

How has Russell Brand responded to the charges?

As of now, Brand has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. In a video uploaded on his YouTube channel titled "My allegations. Let's talk about it," he admitted that his past behavior, including having relationships with multiple people while using his fame to meet them, was selfish and hurt others. He also said he regrets his actions and has asked for forgiveness from those he might have hurt. He further added:

"But what happened in this weird liminal space is that behavior got metastasized and reformed retrospectively into criminal conduct by competing media companies working with groups."

Russell Brand claimed that media companies worked together to turn stories about his past behavior into criminal allegations. He said the accusations came after he began speaking about powerful companies and claimed that his views might have played a part in the case.

Jury selection concludes in Brand's case

The jury has been selected, but details about the jurors have not been made public. Meanwhile, Judge Joel Bennathan addressed the potential jurors, noting that many would already know who Brand is and reminding them that he rejects the claims made against him. The judge later reminded the selected jurors, according to Reuters:

"The defendant is clearly someone very well known. You absolutely must not carry out any research at all about this defendant Russell Brand."

The jury will reportedly have fourteen members, who are expected to be sworn in on Tuesday, according to The New York Times. Prosecutors are expected to explain their case later in the week, with the first witnesses expected to speak in court around the same time.

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