British comedian and actor Russell Brand was granted conditional bail Friday after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to face charges of alleged rape, sexual assault, and indecent assault involving four women.

The charges, which Brand denies, relate to alleged incidents between 1999 and 2005. Brand, 49, did not enter a plea during the brief 12-minute hearing, his first court appearance since being charged last month. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The court imposed strict bail conditions, requiring Brand to attend all future court hearings, whether he is in the United Kingdom or at his home in Florida.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring ordered Brand to provide his U.K. and U.S. addresses to the court by 4 p.m. Friday and to notify authorities of any address changes.

Brand, who confirmed his name, date of birth, and Buckinghamshire address, must appear at the Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, for a plea and trial preparation hearing on May 30. Failure to attend could lead to his arrest and remand in custody.

Brand faces five charges: one count of alleged rape, one count of alleged indecent assault, one count of alleged oral rape, and two counts of alleged sexual assault.

The allegations include an alleged rape in Bournemouth in 1999, an alleged indecent assault in Westminster in 2001, an alleged oral rape and sexual assault in Westminster in 2004, and another alleged sexual assault in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

The charges were authorized by the Crown Prosecution Service following a Metropolitan Police investigation, triggered by a 2023 joint report by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4’s “Dispatches” detailing accusations of sexual misconduct.

Brand, now an outspoken Christian and conservative commentator, has denied the allegations. The charges surfaced after he began publicly criticizing what he describes as the moral failings of leftists and Hollywood elites.

In a video posted online Wednesday, he expressed relief at the opportunity to defend himself in court, framing the accusations as an attack on his recent activism.

Accompanied by solicitor Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky, Brand arrived at court in a black shirt and jeans, navigating a crowd of photographers. He spoke only to confirm his details and acknowledge his bail conditions, thanking the magistrate before leaving with three bodyguards.

Brand rose to fame in the early 2000s as a comedian and host of “Big Brother’s Big Mouth,” later starring in films like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” His shift to spiritual and political commentary has garnered a global following.

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