Russell Brand appears in London court as rape trial begins

Russell Brand appeared in a London court Monday as jury selection began in his trial on rape and sexual assault charges involving six women. The comedian and actor denies all seven charges.

Brand, 51, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. The alleged offenses took place between 1999 and 2009 in London and Bournemouth, according to the BBC.

At Southwark Crown Court, potential jurors answered questions about what they knew of Brand and allegations against him. “Many of you will have heard of him,” Judge Bennathan told them, noting that Brand had been on television “a great deal a couple of years ago.”

The judge asked whether they remembered a Channel 4 documentary or a newspaper article about allegations of sexual misconduct against Brand. “They were allegations he firmly denied,” the judge said. Six potential jurors raised their hands, the BBC reported.

The pool was narrowed to 20 people. A smaller group is expected to be chosen and sworn in Tuesday, before the prosecution opens its case later in the week. The judge warned potential jurors not to research Brand.

CBS News reported that, at previous hearings, prosecutors accused Brand of raping a woman in a hotel room at a Labour Party conference. They also described allegations that he grabbed a television worker’s breasts and forced her into a sex act in a toilet, and that he kissed and groped a radio station worker.

Brand arrived at court with his wife, Laura Gallacher, and security guards. He left holding hands with Gallacher after Monday’s hearing was adjourned until Tuesday. He remains on bail.

The accounts give different estimates for the trial’s length. CBS News reported that it could last up to 10 weeks. The BBC reported that the judge expects it to take about six weeks but told potential jurors they might need to be available until Dec. 11.

Brand became prominent in the early 2000s through stand-up comedy, television hosting and BBC radio programs. His film credits include “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek.” In recent years, he has moved away from mainstream media, developed an online following and relocated to Florida.

British law protects the identities of people who allege sexual violence from publication by the media for life.