British actor and comedian Russell Brand has denied allegations of rape and sexual assault while giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court, describing the impact of the accusations on his life as “devastating”.
The 51-year-old spent more than four hours in the witness box on Wednesday, maintaining that he had never forced any of the six complainants into sexual activity against their will.
During cross-examination by prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC, Brand acknowledged that his past conduct went “beyond reckless philandering and idiocy”.
He also admitted to misusing his celebrity status to gain sexual access, describing his previous behaviour as wrong.
However, Brand firmly rejected the criminal allegations, insisting that “consent is non-negotiable”.
The comedian faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The proceedings remain ongoing at Southwark Crown Court, where the allegations have yet to be determined by the jury.