Russell Brand's X account has shared a message referencing Elon Musk while the disgraced former TV star is currently behind bars. Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison at Southwark Crown Court on Monday after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Cryptic post to 10 million followers
In a post on X, formally known as Twitter, Russell Brand's official account shared a post reaching out to Elon Musk, who owns the social media platform. Brand's Instagram and Facebook account, both owned by Meta, have reportedly been disabled, but his X profile is still visible.
In a post to 10 million followers on X, a statement said: "There never was a Russell Brand, according to @Meta. Thank God for @elonmusk." The post added: "Stay tuned."
The account also reshared a screenshot of a notification from Meta which said: "We disabled your account. You no longer have access to russellbrand."
The message added: "Your account, or activity on it, doesn’t follow our Community Standards. No one can see or find your account, and you can’t use it. All your information will be permanently deleted."
Background to the sentencing
Brand's Instagram account had over 5 million followers, and his Facebook account had over 6 million followers.
Brand was sentenced on Monday after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault. The shamed star was branded a "sexual predator" by judge Mr Justice Bennathan at Southwark Crown Court.
A four-week trial heard how Brand preyed on women he encountered on his way to becoming one of Britain’s best-known comedians, a TV and radio host, and a Hollywood actor who was briefly married to singer Katy Perry.
Police and Goldsmith response
Police later confirmed that Brand was ordered to leave his ex-girlfriend Jemima Goldsmith's house after reports of an assault in 2014. Thames Valley Police said officers were contacted by the alleged victim on July 25, 2014 but no arrests were made following the incident at her Oxfordshire home.
Brand was asked to leave the address "as per the victim's wishes", the police statement added. Brand and Ms Goldsmith reportedly dated for a year in 2014.
Ms Goldsmith posted on X on Monday, saying she had personal experience of the rapist comedian's "violence, coercive control and abuse”. Her statement added: "I had to call the police to have him removed from my house in 2014 during a violent incident."
In the post, which was made hours after Brand was jailed for raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three TV and radio workers, she said she was “glad and relieved” Brand has “finally faced justice”.
She said: “I am and have always been strongly and unequivocally on the side of all of Brand’s victims. I am in awe of the courageous women who came forward at Brand’s trial, told their stories, testified and ensured justice was done.
“I have had my own personal experience of his violence, coercive control and abuse. I had to call the police to have him removed from my house in 2014 during a violent incident.”
Ms Goldsmith said she chose not to press charges and go public as she was worried about the impact of the press attention on her children.
She added: “I have neither seen nor spoken to Brand since that period in 2014. Whilst my pain in relation to this, pales in comparison to what the women have testified in court have suffered, this was a difficult period in my life which has had a lasting impact.
“Over several years, I assisted the journalists who finally exposed him; Ros Urwin, Louisa Compton and Dorothy Byrne. I also undertook to testify in court to his abusiveness, if the newspaper that published the victims’ accounts were ever to be sued.”
