Russell Brand Indecent Assault Charge Reduced as Trial Goes On

One of the charges against Russell Brand has been cut back, and the jury has formally found him not guilty on the original version. Prosecutors at London's Southwark Crown Court reduced the indecent assault count to attempted indecent assault as they finished their case, Deadline reported on Tuesday 27 October.

The judge told jurors there was "insufficient evidence" for the original charge. An indecent assault is an offence of unwanted sexual touching. The attempted version is a lesser charge: it covers an attempt to commit that offence, even if no touching took place.

The reduced count concerns a woman the court refers to as C2, using a letter rather than a name to protect her identity. She alleged that Brand tried to pull her into a bathroom while she worked for MTV in London. She had been showing him where the toilets were.

Brand, a 51-year-old actor and comedian, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. After the reduction, he faces three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. Those charges are based on allegations from six women.

Jury selection for the trial took place on Monday 12 October, and the case is being heard at Southwark Crown Court. Reuters reported that prosecutors told the court Brand was a sexual predator who ignored women's protests. One woman has said that Brand raped her more than 25 years ago. Reuters also reported that in February 2026 he pleaded not guilty in a London court to two further charges of rape and sexual assault.

Police interviews form part of the case. Brand made statements at the start of four police interviews between 2023 and 2025, and in each he repeatedly denied all the charges.

The prosecution has now completed its case. Brand's defence was set to begin the day after the prosecution's final full day in court, which means the next phase of the trial is about to start. Those will rest with the jury once all the evidence has been heard.