Russell Brand today appeared in court where he faced charges of rape and sexual assault.

The comedian and actor is being represented by Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky, who successfully defended Kevin Spacey against sex assault allegations in 2023. 

The 49-year-old was charged by post last month with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four separate women.

The court heard that Brand allegedly raped a woman in a hotel room in 1999 after they met earlier that day at a theatrical event following the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth.

Prosecuting Dhadda said: 'He pushed her onto the bed, pulled down her trousers and knickers and he raped her. He left her with an email address.'

The court was then told about the second of Brand's alleged victims, who accuses him of indecent assault.

Brand is accused of grabbing the woman by her forearm and attempting to drag her into a male toilet at a television station.

The court heard the third alleged victim was a television worker Brand met in Soho. He is accused of grabbing her breasts before allegedly pulling her into a toilet and orally raping her.

The final complainant is a radio station worker who met Brand while he was working for Channel 4 on Big Brother's Big Mouth, the court heard.

Brand is alleged to have grabbed her by the face with both hands, pushed her against a wall and kissed her before grabbing her breasts and buttocks.

No pleas were entered to the charges. Brand was granted conditional bail ahead of the next hearing on May 30.

The judge then told him: 'Mr Brand you face a number of allegations, five in total.

'Some of them are what would be called indictable only - the court must then send them to he crown court for trial.'