Russell Brand has told his rape trial that he was blocked from entering Great Ormond Street Hospital to be with his sick baby son after he was publicly accused of rape. The 51-year-old former comedian is giving evidence in his defence against seven charges, including rapes and sexual assault against six women between 1999 and 2009, which he denies.
Hospital access claim
Brand told the court that the hospital had barred him from attending while his son was receiving treatment. 'The reason given by Great Ormond Street Hospital when my son was receiving open heart surgery and subsequent treatment was due to the material published,' he claimed.
He said he was told 'they had to bar my attendance and presence' but did not provide further details as to why. 'They were unclear about what particular legal reason there was, but that was the reason they gave to my wife Laura and I,' Brand stated.
The actor shares three children, two girls and a boy, with his wife Laura Gallacher.
Life 'consumed' by allegations
During his testimony, Brand said his 'entire life has been consumed' by the allegations. When asked by his lawyer Ian Winter KC if he could remember the complainants from November 2023 to January 2024, he said 'No.' However, he replied 'yes' when asked if he is now 'able to remember some of the events in respect of those six.'
Asked what had changed, Brand said there has been a 'variety of new information regarding each of the complainants, including video interviews, visits, or one particular specific visit to a location of an alleged event.' He added: 'I have looked at personal artefacts such as in the example of Bournemouth, a flyer.'
Mr Winter KC asked how much work and time he had spent trying to recollect the allegations. Brand said: 'My entire life has been consumed by these events, these allegations, these accusations. The impact of these allegation and accusation I have devoted myself to these matters.'
Brand began giving evidence about the first alleged complainant, who alleges she was raped by the comedian after meeting him on the fringes of the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth in 1999.
