- A jury of eight men and four women, alongside one reserve juror, has been sworn in at Southwark Crown Court for the trial of actor and comedian Russell Brand.
- The 51-year-old denies seven sexual offence charges involving six women between 1999 and 2009, including three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one allegation of indecent assault.
- The specific allegations against Mr Brand include raping a woman in a Bournemouth hotel room during the Labour Party conference, assaulting a television worker in a toilet, and groping a radio station employee.
- Prior to swearing in the panel, six prospective jurors were excused after indicating they remembered a 2023 Channel 4 documentary or a newspaper article in The Times detailing allegations against him.
- The trial at Southwark Crown Court is scheduled to last between six and eight weeks as proceedings continue.
IN FULL
Russell Brand: Jury sworn in ahead of rape and sexual assault trial
