British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been accused by prosecutors of sexually abusing six women over a decade, as his trial opened at Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday.
Brand, 51, faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault relating to alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009. He denies all the charges.
Opening the prosecution’s case, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told the court that Brand allegedly pursued sexual contact despite objections from some of the women. She described him as manipulative and entitled, arguing that he disregarded the women’s wishes.
Brand appeared at court and said he was concerned but hopeful that the legal process would produce positive outcomes for everyone involved.
The trial is expected to last approximately six weeks.
Brand rose to prominence in Britain during the 2000s as a television and radio presenter, including work for the BBC. He later appeared in films such as Get Him to the Greek in 2010.
He married American singer Katy Perry that year, but the couple divorced in 2012 after about 14 months of marriage. In recent years, Brand has focused largely on online broadcasts discussing politics, religion and free speech.
The allegations remain before the court, and Brand has denied wrongdoing.
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