On Tuesday, London’s Metropolitan Police announced that Brand has been charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault connected to two separate women. These new charges relate to alleged incidents that took place in 2009, according to prosecutors cited by the BBC.
The new case expands an already high-profile prosecution. Back in April, Brand was charged with five separate offenses, including rape, indecent assault, oral rape, and sexual assault. Those earlier charges involved four different women and allegedly occurred between 1999 and 2005.
Brand, 49, pleaded not guilty to the original charges in May. His trial on those counts is scheduled to begin on June 16, 2026, at Southwark Crown Court.
He is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Jan. 20, 2026, to answer the newly announced charges.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing. In a statement, Detective Chief Inspector Tariq Farooqi of the Metropolitan Police Service said that all women who have come forward are receiving support from specially trained officers. Police are also urging anyone else with information related to the case to speak with investigators.
Brand is being represented by lawyer Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky, who previously defended Kevin Spacey in a separate sexual assault case. Brand’s legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the announcement of the new charges.
The investigation into Brand began in September 2023, after allegations surfaced in a joint media report by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4’s investigative program Dispatches.
Before those reports were published, Brand released a video on his YouTube channel denying the accusations. He acknowledged being “very promiscuous” during his time in mainstream entertainment but insisted that all of his relationships were consensual.
“These allegations pertain to a time when I was in the movies and newspapers all the time,” Brand said at the time. “The relationships I had were absolutely always consensual.”
Once a major film and television star known for roles in movies like Arthur and Get Him to the Greek, Brand has largely shifted away from Hollywood in recent years. He now focuses on online content and live appearances, building a large following through his YouTube channel, where critics have accused him of promoting conspiracy theories.
Just days ago, Brand appeared at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest event in Phoenix on Dec. 18.
As the list of charges grows and court dates approach, the case against Brand is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched celebrity trials in the U.K. in the coming years.
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