Laura Gallacher, the wife of Russell Brand, is standing by him after his conviction for rape and sexual assault, as her famous sporting family rallies around her and their three children.
Brand, 51, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to four women. He was brought back to court on Monday to be sentenced by Mr Justice Bennathan, having spent the previous four nights in HMP Wandsworth.
As he entered the dock, Brand turned towards Laura in the public gallery and mouthed: "It'll be okay, I don't know how, but it will." Laura replied: "I love you."
Laura's Reaction in Court
During proceedings, one of Brand's victims delivered an emotional statement to the court. The third complainant told the court that the past three years had taken their toll on her and her family, before concluding: "A leopard may change its spots, but it's still a leopard and not a gazelle."
Brand, sitting in the dock, remained impassive and did not appear to react. Laura, however, looked behind her towards the court doors and shook her head.
The court was told on Monday that Laura, who has been married to him for more than 10 years, is "standing by him". Ian Winter KC, Brand's lawyer, said he spoke to his wife before the sentencing hearing, adding: "Words are completely inadequate to express the total devastation she is feeling."
Family Background
Laura's father Bernard is a former professional golfer who captained Europe in three consecutive Ryder Cups between 1991 and 1995. Bernard, who has supported his daughter in court during the trial, is also the father of former Sky Sports presenter Kirsty, Laura's older sister.
Kirsty is said to have played a pivotal role in bringing Laura and Brand together during their initial romance in 2007. Laura told the court that she first met Brand through her TV star sister at the Edinburgh Festival in 2006, when she was 19. She explained that she approached him after one of his shows, introducing herself by mentioning her famous sister.
"I went over and said, 'I'm Laura, Kirsty's sister. That was a great show'," she told the court. Brand subsequently took her number.
Relationship History
Laura said the pair began dating in 2007, although they split during the summer of that year. They eventually rekindled their relationship in 2015 before marrying in 2017. They now have three children together.
During her evidence, Laura said: "I wasn't interested in having a relationship with him if he was sleeping with other people. I was invested, we both had told each other we loved each other, but it was clear it was difficult for him to be monogamous."
Winter urged the judge to "temper" his sentencing, describing Brand as "a man of effectively good character". He said Brand and his wife are working out "how to explain to their child who is just 10 what has happened here", adding that they are "totally innocent people caught up here".
Kirsty Gallacher's Career
Kirsty has built a career spanning several television and radio programmes. She became a familiar face on Sky Sports News, where she worked between 1998 and 2018, before presenting programmes including Kirsty's Home Videos and Gladiators on Sky One.
She also competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, partnering professional dancer Brendan Cole, and has since worked for GB News. Since January 2025, she has presented the drivetime show on Gold Radio.
Kirsty attracted attention in September 2023, when the allegations against Brand first emerged. She shared a video in which he denied the accusations, accompanying the Instagram post with a red heart emoji. The post was later removed, according to reports at the time.
The wider Gallacher family are now said to be particularly concerned about what comes next for Laura and her children, with police continuing to investigate further allegations against Brand.
