LONDON (TNND) — British comedian and actor Russell Brand was convicted Thursday of rape and sexual assault in a case involving allegations dating back more than 20 years.Brand, 51, was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women, according to The Associated Press. He was acquitted of two other rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault.He was taken into custody after Judge Joel Bennathan rejected a bail request to let him see his kids because of the possibility of him fleeing. The judge said he would receive a prison term when he is sentenced Monday. The jury at Southwark Crown Court deliberated for more than eight hours over two days.FILE – Comedian and actor Russell Brand is reflected in a car window as he leaves Southwark Crown Court in London, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, where he is charged with counts of rape and sexual assault against six women.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)A prosecutor described Brand as a ruthless, calculating and manipulative “sexual predator.”Brand denied the charges and testified that he had been obsessed with sex and lived promiscuously as a young man, but had never forced anyone to do anything against their will. He also said the case had consumed his life and affected his family.When the original charges were announced last April, Brand said in a video on X that he welcomed the opportunity to prove his innocence.“I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord,” he said. “I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile. But what I never was was a rapist. I’ve never engaged in nonconsensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.”Brand rose to prominence in the early 2000s as a comedian and TV and radio host, and appeared in films including “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek.” In recent years, he moved to Florida and built an online following with videos about wellness, conspiracy theories and religion.
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