Elon Musk reposts user claiming 'UK went after Russell Brand but not migrant rape gangs' - day before actor sentenced for rape and sexual assault

Elon Musk has reposted an X user claiming the UK has prioritised convicting Russell Brand instead of gangs of alleged migrant rapists.Brand, 51, is set to be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court today for raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three other women during his showbiz career.The former comedian and actor was found guilty of raping a woman in 2009, as well as sexually assaulting female TV and radio workers between 2004 and 2009.Mr Justice Bennathan ordered Brand to start his jail sentence immediately after the jury delivered its verdict last Thursday, sending him straight to prison.The verdict received widespread praise from observers who suggested that the comedian's downfall might prompt further victims to come forward - and detectives said last week they are now investigating two further rape allegations against Brand.But Tesla and SpaceX boss, Mr Musk, appears to have taken a different view on the case, reposting a message which read: 'The UK went after Russell Brand but not migrant rape gangs. Why.'The tech giant - believed to be the world's richest man - clicked 'repost' just one day before the actor was due to be sentenced for his crimes. The gesture seems to represent a renewal of Mr Musk's support for Brand having been an outspoken backer of the comedian when accusations against him first emerged in 2023. Russell Brand pictured at Southwark Crown Court on November 5 - the day he was found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three. He will be sentenced today Elon Musk, pictured last month, has reposted an X user claiming the UK has prioritised convicting Brand instead of gangs of alleged migrant rapistsHe leapt to the defence of the actor during a conversation about free speech and religion with Right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro, saying: 'There needs to be, obviously, a conviction here. It can't be guilty until proven innocent. 'Because obviously we're just sort of in the witch burning phase here; just being declared a witch is enough to make you a witch and be burnt.'He added that he was worried that 'anyone could be accused at any time of false charges, and we can't be destroying their lives on the potential of false accusations'.Mr Musk also claimed that because Brand had been 'rattling the cage' of the 'powers that be', the public should ask why the allegations against him have come out now.'Seems like an odd coincidence that it's happening when Russell is really gaining traction, questioning a lot of the conventional wisdom,' he said.'I think we're running out of conspiracy theories that didn't turn out to be true.'Mr Musk went on to mention he has been accused of spreading conspiracy theories online in the past.His comments came as Brand's platform, Rumble, was being abandoned by advertisers in the wake of the allegations, while the comedian was also dropped by promoters and YouTube.Mr Musk has also long expressed his anger at British grooming gangs and in 2025 attacked then Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over a lack of action to tackle the gangs.The world's richest man also suggested the safeguarding minister 'deserves to be in prison' for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham. The Tesla boss described Starmer as 'two-tier Keir', claiming there was 'no justice for severe, violent crimes but prison for social media posts' in the UK.He also said Sir Keir failed to bring 'rape gangs' to justice when he was director of public prosecutions between 2008 and 2013.A group of Brand supporters were seen holding up a banner outside Southwark Crown Court ahead of the sentencing today.It said: 'Russell Brand, we stand with you. Christ was crucified for telling the truth. Russell is the truth.'The actor's victims previously told Southwark Crown Court how he forced them into sexual activity, sometimes within seconds of first meeting them, while exploiting his fame in pursuit of a goal of sleeping with 5,000 women.His wife, Laura Gallacher, who supported him throughout the four-week trial, sat crying and put her head in her hands as the four guilty verdicts were returned on Thursday. He was cleared of three more.Brand closed his eyes on Thursday as he was convicted of raping a 21-year-old fan he picked out of the crowd after one of his Hammersmith Apollo gigs in 2009.The comedian, then 33, pushed the woman's face down into a pillow on his 'enormous' bed and removed his condom while raping her at his £2.3million Hampstead mansion, leaving her struggling to breathe. A security van arrives at Southwark Crown Court on November 9 ahead of Brand's sentencing Laura Brand, the actor's wife arrives at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, having stuck by her husband throughout the accusations and proceedingsShe was left bleeding from her anus and afterwards said Brand ordered her to 'clean up the mess you've made' before switching on the TV to watch the science-fiction series Quantum Leap.The woman tried to clear up before being ushered out by a member of staff. A driver then handed her tissues as he took her home. Fearing she had contracted HIV, she underwent tests, which came back negative.It was on Thursday revealed that Brand has also been accused of raping two more women, including a 16-year-old schoolgirl, with the Crown Prosecution Service seeking to bring further charges.