British actor and comedian Russell Brand pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault involving four women from 1999 to 2005 during a court appearance at Southwark Crown Court. Brand, who has consistently denied non-consensual sex allegations, faces two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault, with a trial scheduled for June 2026. The charges came to light following a September 2023 report by the Sunday Times and Channel 4, which initiated police investigations into the allegations.