Russell Brand rape and sexual assault trial begins in London

The Big Picture

Russell Brand's criminal trial has begun at Southwark Crown Court in London, where the comedian and actor faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault.

Brand, 51, has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges. The allegations concern six women and are said to span a decade, from 1999 to 2009. The trial is expected to last six weeks.

A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in on Oct. 13 after jury selection began the previous day. One reserve juror was also selected. The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, instructed jurors not to discuss the case, conduct research or rely on material published outside court.

What Happened

Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC opened the prosecution case on Oct. 14, telling jurors that the six complainants did not know one another, had never met and came forward independently.

Karmy-Jones alleged that Brand was "ruthless," "calculated" and "manipulative," calling him a "sexual predator." She said the prosecution would contend that his desire for sexual contact was "indiscriminate and voracious." Those descriptions are prosecution allegations and have not been established by the court.

The prosecution said the alleged offending took place in settings including a hotel room, workplaces, a toilet cubicle in a bar and Brand's home.

The earliest allegation concerns a woman who says Brand raped her in a Bournemouth hotel room after they met at a cabaret event during the 1999 Labour Party conference. The court heard that she told police in a 2023 recorded interview that Brand was partly undressed and "prancing around" like an ostrich before the alleged rape.

On Oct. 15, jurors were shown video of that police interview and heard the woman give evidence. She said she had said no, was unable to fight Brand off and was left feeling frightened, dirty and concerned that she might be pregnant. Brand denies the allegation.

Former friend Mark Pinheiro also gave evidence about the Bournemouth trip. He told jurors Brand appeared flustered or discombobulated afterward and recalled him saying he thought he might have "gone a bit too far." Brand's defense barrister, Ian Winter KC, challenged the reliability of that account in cross-examination, according to reports from court.

What Each Side Is Saying

Prosecutors outlined five other allegations. They include an accusation that Brand tried to pull a woman working at MTV into a toilet in 2001, an allegation that he grabbed a woman's breasts and orally raped her in a Soho toilet in 2004, and an alleged sexual assault at a radio station in 2004 or 2005.

The prosecution also alleges that Brand anally raped a woman at his Hampstead home in 2009 after consensual sexual activity, and later sent an apology after she said he had treated her "like an animal." A sixth complainant alleges Brand sexually assaulted her during a work assignment in 2009 after demanding a massage.

Brand has consistently denied engaging in non-consensual sexual activity. Prosecutors told the jury that, when interviewed by police in 2023, he said accounts of the alleged incidents had been reinvented or imagined after a documentary and subsequent press coverage. His defense is expected to argue that the encounters were consensual and that the complainants' recollections were affected by later reporting.

Background

The Metropolitan Police investigation followed a 2023 joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches, which published allegations of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse against Brand. He denied those allegations.

Brand rose to prominence as a stand-up comedian before becoming a television and radio presenter. He later appeared in films including Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, and in recent years has focused on podcasting and online media.

What Happens Next

The prosecution case is continuing at Southwark Crown Court. The jury will hear evidence before deciding whether Brand is guilty of any of the charges. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.