WARNING: This article may be distressing for individuals who have experienced sexual violence or are acquainted with someone who has.
According to an investigation by The Times, a U.K.-based newspaper, six additional women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct and predatory behavior against Russell Brand, following his conviction for rape and sexual assault earlier this week.
The 51-year-old former comedian and actor received a sentence of over 10 years in prison on Monday after being found guilty of raping a woman and committing three sexual assaults between the years of 2004 and 2009.
In an investigation conducted by The Times and Sunday Times that was published on Friday, six more women recounted non-consensual interactions with Brand, which included instances of rape and sexual harassment.
This report coincided with the release of a Netflix documentary titled Open Secret, which explores how rumors regarding Brand’s unsettling behavior persisted throughout his career.
One woman recounted to The Times that Brand continued to engage in sexual activity after she noticed he was not using a condom and requested him to stop. She stated that the incident took place during a tumultuous relationship with the actor in the late 2000s, and that he later texted her to express his apologies.
“I rationalized it in my mind by telling myself: at least he acknowledged it,” she shared with The Times.
Comedian and actor-turned-influencer Russell Brand was sentenced to more than ten and a half years in prison for rape and sexual assault by a British judge who described Brand as a sexual predator who displayed ‘staggering arrogance.’
Another woman, who met Brand in 2007 while waiting in line for one of his performances when she was 19, claimed that during a sexual encounter, she expressed that she was in pain, but he persisted nonetheless.
“And then it escalated, becoming really painful. I said ‘stop’ and he did not stop,” she recounted.
She alleged that Brand told her afterward: “Tonight was consensual. Nobody did anything they didn’t want to do.”
“That’s when I realized… I know you understand that what you did was wrong,” she stated.
The British actor and comedian was sentenced in a London court today to 10 and-a-half years behind bars. He was convicted last week of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Get the latest on CBCNews.ca, the CBC News App, and CBC News Network for breaking news and analysis.
Numerous women recounted meeting Brand at his comedy shows or in scenarios where they felt he exploited his celebrity status to lure them into hotel rooms, where his behavior reportedly changed.
One woman expressed to The Times her astonishment at how swiftly he transformed from the “charming, affable, sort of dandyish persona” he initially projected to a “very crude and direct individual” in his hotel room, where she claims he abruptly groped her and forced his hand down her pants.
“At that moment, I never really considered it in the way I do now, as sexual assault. I just suppressed it,” she remarked.
CBC News has contacted Brand’s attorney for a statement.
The Times noted that several women it spoke with expressed concerns about not being believed if they came forward, mirroring the anxieties voiced by the woman who testified against him during his trial.
One victim of Brand, whom he anally raped in 2009, stated in a statement read by prosecutors in court that “his fame, wealth, and influence created a power imbalance that left me feeling powerless.”
Allegations against Brand surfaced in 2023
Brand initially gained recognition on the U.K. comedy circuit in the late 1990s. He became internationally known after starring in comedic films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek, and Arthur, along with a widely publicized, albeit brief, marriage to singer Katy Perry.
Allegations of sexual misconduct against Brand were first reported by The Times, Sunday Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches in 2023. Following the emergence of these accusations, additional women came forward to speak with law enforcement and media, leading to an investigation by London’s Metropolitan Police.
Brand poses alongside his then-fiancée, singer Katy Perry, at the premiere of the film Get Him to the Greek, at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles in 2010. (Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press)
During the recent four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London, Brand denied all charges, insisting that any sexual interactions were consensual and describing himself as being preoccupied with sex during the relevant years.
He was acquitted of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Brand is currently under investigation for two additional alleged rapes, one of which involves a girl who was 16 at the time, according to law enforcement.
Comedian Russell Brand, once one of Britain’s most high-profile entertainers and briefly a movie star, was sentenced to more than 10½ years in prison on Nov. 9 after being convicted for rape and three sexual assaults.
Documentary explores Brand’s rise to fame
On Friday, the Netflix documentary Open Secret was also released, chronicling Brand’s career from his rise as a controversial comedian known for his raunchy humor to his acting roles and eventual transformation into a far-right religious influencer—unfolding amid increasing rumors that his disturbing persona could mask real-life atrocities.
Jordan Martin, an ex-girlfriend featured in the documentary, characterized Brand as controlling and abusive, claiming that he sexually assaulted her following a disagreement.
The documentary, produced by 72 Films, includes archival footage from early comedy performances and appearances, featuring an on-stage Q&A where he referred to himself as a “bloke from Essex,” before adding, “I also raped someone once.”