Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault in U.K. trial

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Set us as preferred British actor Russell Brand was convicted of rape and sexual assault charges in a London courtroom on Thursday, three years after an investigation by British media cast a new shadow on the former Hollywood star–turned–religious content creator.A jury of eight men and four women found 51-year-old Brand, the once in-demand star of “Get Him to the Greek” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,”guilty on four of the seven charges brought against him by prosecutors: one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four different women.

The actor, who denied the charges heading into prosecution, was also acquitted of two rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault.The criminal charges against Brand stem from his interactions with six different women in the U.K.

spanning from the late 1990s to the late aughts.The jury reached its verdict after two days of deliberation.

Det.Supt.

Andy Furphy of London’s Metropolitan Police said the conviction was “a testament to the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward and reported what happened to them,” Associated Press reported on Thursday.“Brand used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women,” he said.

“As his profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement.”A legal representative for Brand did not immediately respond on Thursday to a request for comment.During closing arguments on Monday, Brand’s defense attorney Ian Winter told jurors that the actor is not a “psychopath who rapes people and thinks it’s normal.” Winter also challenged the validity of the accusations against Brand, noting “out of the many, many women that Mr.

Brand had sex with during this period only three” complained they did not consent to sex with the star.Judge Joel...