Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape charges in London

Russell Brand, the comedian, actor and conspiracy-minded YouTuber, appeared in a London courthouse last week and pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault.

- ALEX MARSHALL

In a short hearing, Tony Baumgartner, the presiding judge, said that Brand would face a four-to-five-week trial starting on June 3 next year. Britain’s judicial system has a backlog of cases, meaning there is often a delay between defendants entering a plea and standing trial.

Brand, 49, is facing one charge of rape, one of oral rape, two counts of sexual assault and another of indecent assault.