Russell Brand convicted of rape and three sexual assaults in London

Russell Brand was taken straight into custody after a London jury convicted him of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.

The 51-year-old comedian and actor was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was acquitted of two further rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault. The charges heard at trial concerned allegations involving six women between 1999 and 2009, whose identities are protected for life under British law.

What the jury found: The rape conviction concerned a fan Brand met after a 2009 stand-up show at the Hammersmith Apollo. The jury also convicted him of groping an MTV worker at a Soho bar party in 2004, kissing and groping a Choice FM worker at the Capital Radio building in 2004 or 2005, and sexually assaulting a Channel 4 worker in 2009 after she was made to give him a massage.

He was cleared of an allegation that he orally raped the MTV worker in a toilet, of raping a woman he met during the 1999 Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, and of trying to indecently assault another MTV worker in 2001.

Brand's defense: Brand denied every charge and told the court that his sexual encounters had been consensual. He said consent was “fundamental, essential, necessary” and more important than sex. The jury deliberated for about eight to eight-and-a-half hours before reaching its verdicts.

Why he was jailed before sentencing: Mr Justice Joel Bennathan refused to extend Brand's bail, saying the temptation to avoid returning to court for sentence could be overwhelming. The judge told him to expect a significant custodial prison sentence. The Metropolitan Police is also investigating two additional rape allegations and has sent files on both complaints to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Brand is due back at Southwark Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, Nov. 9.