Russell Brand Trial Opens at Southwark Crown Court
Constantvpn.com – Prosecutors have alleged that Russell Brand was a sexual predator as his trial began at Southwark Crown Court in London. The actor and comedian, 51, denies all charges against him.
Brand faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. The allegations involve six women and relate to alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009.
His wife, Laura, attended court with him on the opening day. The jury will hear evidence concerning allegations from different periods of Brand’s career.
Prosecution sets out its case
Opening the case, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC said the women did not know one another and had come forward separately. She told jurors that the alleged circumstances varied widely.
“The circumstances of the offending were as wide and as varied as the defendant’s career.”
The prosecution alleges that Russell Brand was a sexual predator whose desire for sexual contact was “indiscriminate and voracious”. Karmy-Jones said he could be amusing, charming and likeable, but was also alleged to be demanding and entitled.
She told the court that, after some alleged encounters, Brand behaved as though nothing unusual had happened. In other cases, prosecutors said, he was alleged to have left quickly or given an excuse to depart.
Allegations dating back to 1999
The first complainant said she met Brand at a Labour Party conference fringe event in 1999, before he was widely known. She alleges that he raped her after they spoke.
When interviewed by police, Brand said he did not recall the alleged incident if it had happened. He said he could not remember the woman’s name and had never engaged in non-consensual activity.
A second complainant, who worked for MTV, alleges that Brand indecently assaulted her after asking where the toilets were. Prosecutors say she offered to show him the way, but that he asked her to enter, grabbed her forearm and urged her to come inside while she pulled away.
“Please please come in – oh go on.”
The court heard that the woman described Brand as having a desperate, wild-eyed expression during the alleged incident.
Party and workplace claims
A third complainant alleges that Brand orally raped her in a toilet after they met at a party in 2004. Prosecutors say he grabbed and squeezed her breasts shortly after meeting her, then took hold of her arm and pulled her towards the toilets.
She also alleges that he exposed himself while they travelled by car to another venue. The court heard that she refused a sexual request and that Brand laughed but appeared to accept her refusal.
A fourth complainant alleges that Brand assaulted her at Capital Radio in either 2004 or 2005. Prosecutors say he pressed her against a wall, kissed her aggressively and touched her breasts, sides and buttocks before she pushed him away.
2009 allegation and the jury’s role
A fifth complainant said she met Brand in 2009 while he was appearing at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. The prosecution says their initial contact involved consensual activity but alleges that he later raped her anally.
The court heard that the woman later experienced anxiety and ill health, and blamed herself for months and years. Prosecutors said Brand contacted her after seeing her at an event the following summer.
A sixth complainant has accused him of sexual assault, including an allegation that he demanded a massage. The prosecution began outlining her account on the first day of evidence.
The claim that Russell Brand was a sexual predator is part of the prosecution’s case, which Brand denies. It will be for the jury to consider the prosecution and defence evidence before reaching verdicts on each count.
FAQ: Russell Brand trial in London
Where is the trial taking place? The trial is being heard at Southwark Crown Court in London, England.
What charges does Russell Brand face? He is charged with three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault.
Has Russell Brand pleaded guilty? No. He denies all of the charges, and the allegations remain matters for the jury to decide.