Russell Brand allegedly exposed his penis in a car and was “looking down at his lap and smiling” after his third accuser says he orally raped her at a party, Southwark Crown Court has heard.
The woman, giving a pre-recorded police interview played to jurors, alleges Brand orally raped her at Nordic Bar in Soho in July 2004, when she was working for MTV. The former comedian and TV host is accused of groping her breasts before dragging her into a toilet to perform a sex act.
Brand, who arrived at the central London court on Monday morning with his wife Laura Gallacher, denies all the charges against him. He is on trial accused of three rapes, three sexual assaults and an allegation of indecent assault.
Accuser describes alleged assault at Soho bar
In her recorded interview, the woman said she was excited to meet Brand at what the court was told was a birthday party, but says within a minute of starting a conversation he had sexually assaulted her.
She said: “He literally just grabbed my boobs, out of nowhere, just in the middle of a conversation and I just remember just this like, weird maniacal grin, like looming in front of me.” The woman added: “I was just like completely shocked.”
She told the court she had around six or seven drinks at the bar before Brand arrived, and described herself to police as “more than tipsy but not paralytic drunk.”
Toilet allegation and the car journey
The woman said she was “dragged” into a toilet by the celebrity at the party and orally raped. She told jurors: “We had just met and had a brief conversation and he literally grabbed my arms and dragged me into the toilets.
“I just didn’t know what was going on. It happened so fast, he pulled me over. He said: ‘Come on, come on, don’t be a spoilsport’ and kept on pushing my head down. I remember some guy’s voice the other side saying: ‘Are you OK?’ Russell casually walked over and unlocked it (the door).”
She continued that she travelled in a car with Brand after he had allegedly orally raped her at the party. She said: “I don’t know whether I was guided to the car, or walked there myself. I just have no recollection of how that happened.
“Russell sat on the left hand side. I looked round and he was looking down at his lap and smiling. I looked down and his penis was out in the car and he said ‘come on, come on’ and I said ‘no, no’, and he then put it away. And he’s sort of laughing about it with a weird look on his face.”
Accuser says Brand acted as if nothing happened
Speaking to police about Brand after the incident, she said: “He was very much normal, just acting like nothing had happened. A group of girls were like ‘it’s Russell Brand’ and he said ‘hello ladies’ and all that chit-chat.”
Brand wore a grey suit with a lime green necktie, an open shirt, a crucifix and brown boots as he arrived at the court, which is located near Tower Bridge and the Shard.
He is set to argue that consensual encounters have been “reimagined” by his accusers after he faced allegations of sexual misconduct in recent years. The trial continues.
