British comedian and actor Russell Brand appeared in a London courtroom Tuesday where he entered not guilty pleas to additional charges of rape and sexual assault.
The 50-year-old performer now faces new allegations stemming from incidents that prosecutors say occurred in 2009, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. Brand denied these latest charges during his appearance at Southwark Crown Court.
These new allegations come on top of existing charges filed against Brand in April. Those earlier charges include two rape counts, two sexual assault counts, and one indecent assault count. Prosecutors allege those incidents involved four different women and took place from 1999 to 2005 in both London and the coastal English town of Bournemouth. Brand has also pleaded not guilty to those charges in previous court appearances.
The case is set to go to trial in June, with court officials estimating the proceedings will run four to five weeks.
Brand, who starred in “Get Him To The Greek,” gained fame through provocative comedy performances and public struggles with substance abuse. In recent years, he has stepped away from traditional entertainment and built an online audience through videos that blend wellness topics with conspiracy theories and discussions of his spiritual beliefs.
