The British entertainer, recently charged with multiple sex offences in the UK, is attempting to postpone legal proceedings in New York, citing concerns over a possible American prosecution.
Russell Brand is attempting to postpone a civil lawsuit filed against him in New York, as his legal team expressed concern that the case could lead to potential criminal charges in the United States, overlapping with the serious accusations he now faces in the UK.
Legal filings reveal that Brand’s lawyers believe the American proceedings might compromise the criminal investigation currently ongoing in Britain, where the 49-year-old has been charged by the Metropolitan Police with several historical sexual offences involving four women. These alleged incidents occurred between 1999 and 2005 in both Bournemouth and London.
The charges, which include rape, indecent assault, oral rape, and sexual assault, follow an 18-month investigation prompted by a joint exposé by The Times and Channel 4.
Brand, once a BBC presenter and star of Hollywood comedies, is also facing a separate civil action in the United States. The lawsuit was filed in November 2023 by a woman who claims the actor assaulted her on the set of the 2010 film Arthur, produced by Warner Bros. She accuses him of exposing himself and following her into a bathroom while intoxicated.
Though not currently subject to criminal prosecution in the US, Brand’s attorneys submitted court papers stating he has a “reasonable belief” that such charges may still arise. One legal document, dated 1 April, emphasised the risk, noting that similar allegations have been made publicly in the US, and that any conviction in the UK could be used as evidence in American proceedings.
Brand, who has strongly denied all accusations, maintains that the claims are false and defamatory. In his official response to the US lawsuit, he also stated he had been sober for nearly a decade at the time of the alleged incident in question.
His legal team requested that the civil matter be postponed to avoid risking his right against self-incrimination, arguing that testimony in one country could prejudice proceedings in another. While the US court declined to suspend the lawsuit entirely, Brand has been granted a deadline extension until 30 October 2025 to file his deposition.
Warner Bros, named as a co-defendant in the American case and accused of negligence, has also denied wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, Brand is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 2 May. The UK charges include the rape of a woman in 1999 in Bournemouth, the oral rape and sexual assault of another woman in 2004 in Westminster, and additional assaults between 2001 and 2005.
In a recent video posted online, Brand proclaimed his innocence and said: “I’ve never engaged in anything non-consensual. I now have the opportunity to defend myself in court and I’m thankful for that.”
His legal troubles span both sides of the Atlantic, and what began as media allegations has now escalated into a complex web of criminal and civil litigation.
