Russell Brand supported by wife of 9 years Laura at rape and sexual assault trial

Russell Brand has been pictured leaving Southwark Crown Court in London, putting on a united front with his wife Laura Gallacher.

The 51-year-old comedian has been charged with three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault, which reportedly occurred between 1999 and 2009. He has denied all charges.

Clad in a grey tweed suit and an open-collar white shirt, Russell put on a display of unity with his wife of nine years.

Laura, who is the sister of TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, was pictured smiling as she held Russell’s hand, braving the media presence gathered outside the court.

The trial, which could last up to 10 weeks, has begun with jury selection.

What is Russell Brand on trial for?

Russell was first accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by several women in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches in September 2023.

The Get Him to the Greek actor has previously denied the accusations, insisting his sexual relationships were "absolutely always consensual".

In April 2025, he was charged with the rape of a woman in 1999 in the Bournemouth area and the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in the Westminster area of London.

He was also charged with indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 and sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005. Both offences allegedly took place in Westminster, London.

The Crown Prosecution Service authorised two additional charges - one count of rape and one of sexual assault involving two more women - in December 2025, bringing the total to seven charges across six women. Russell has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

At the time of the investigation, Russell said: "These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies. As I've written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous. Now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual.

"I was always transparent about that then – almost too transparent – and I'm being transparent about it now as well. And to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal, that I absolutely deny, makes me question: Is there another agenda at play? It feels to me like there's a serious and concerted agenda to control these kinds of spaces and these kinds of voices."

Who is Russell Brand's wife Laura?

Russell, who rose to fame on shows including Big Brother's Big Mouth, and had his own radio programmes on stations including BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music, has turned to podcasting in recent years.

He now lives in Florida with his wife Laura and their three children. The pair first dated in 2007 for a short period, but ended up reconnecting in 2015.

The age gap has never bothered the couple, with Russell once telling Stylist: "We met when she was 19 and I was 30. She fully loves me for what I am. She's not interested in the famous person at all."

Russell and Laura wed in August 2017, hosting an Indian-themed wedding reception close to their home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxford.

Their daughter Mabel was born in November 2016, and in July 2018, the couple welcomed their second child, Peggy, followed by a son in 2023.

Laura is the daughter of golfer Bernard Gallacher and the sister of sports commentator Kirsty Gallagher.