The comic and actor Russell Model appeared earlier than a London court docket on Friday on a number of fees of sexual assault, together with two counts of rape.
His look at Westminster Magistrates Courtroom was the primary, largely procedural, step in what are more likely to be prolonged prison proceedings. It comes a month after British prosecutors charged Mr. Model with one depend of rape, considered one of oral rape, two counts of sexual assault and one other of indecent assault.
Prosecutors mentioned in a information launch final month that the fees associated to “reported nonrecent offenses between 1999 and 2005, involving 4 girls.”
Courtroom paperwork associated to Friday’s listening to confirmed that one of many sexual assault fees associated to a girl saying that Mr. Model had touched her breasts and that the indecent assault cost concerned a girl saying that Mr. Model had dragged her towards a male bathroom.
Mr. Model has denied all the fees. In a video posted to his social media accounts in April, he mentioned that he had “by no means engaged in nonconsensual exercise” and that he seemed ahead to defending himself in court docket.
In Britain, the primary listening to in a prison trial is “largely administrative,” mentioned Stuart Nolan of the Legislation Society, a corporation representing British attorneys. On Friday, Mr. Nolan mentioned, the decide would merely refer the case onto the next court docket, known as a crown court docket, which offers with extra severe offenses.
Mr. Model would even be requested to verify his title, handle and date of delivery, however wouldn’t enter a plea, Mr. Nolan added.
A plea listening to would occur in a couple of month’s time, Mr. Nolan mentioned, however the precise trial would possibly solely start “a yr from now” due to a backlog of circumstances in Britain’s judicial system.
Mr. Model turned a star in Britain within the early 2000s with hit stand-up reveals and appearances as a TV and radio host. Later, after the interval lined by the fees, he achieved fame in the USA, too, when he starred in films together with “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (2008) and “Get Him to the Greek (2010). He was briefly married to the pop star Katy Perry.
Lately, Mr. Model turned higher identified for conspiracy-minded YouTube movies. Virtually seven million customers subscribe to his channel, the place Mr. Model has posted clips about politics and information occasions such because the battle in Ukraine.
Below British regulation, information retailers can’t determine anybody who makes sexual assault accusations except they select to waive their proper to anonymity. After fees have been filed, strict guidelines additionally stop the reporting of any info that might prejudice a jury at trial.
