Katy Perry's name was excluded from the prosecution's case against Russell Brand, while jurors were barred from hearing evidence concerning his addictions to alcohol and drugs, it can now be disclosed. Prosecutors had planned to mention Perry when presenting their case against Brand over allegations of rape and sexual assault spanning a decade of his entertainment career, but the Grammy-nominated singer was omitted from lead prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC's opening statement following submissions from Brand's defence team.
Conviction at Southwark Crown Court
On Thursday, Brand was convicted of raping a fan and sexually assaulting three women during the height of his showbusiness career, reports the Manchester Evening News. Brand, now 51, targeted women he met while establishing himself as one of Britain's most prominent stand-up comedians, a celebrated television and radio presenter, and a Hollywood film star. His victims attended court to disclose how Brand had coerced them into sexual activity, occasionally within moments of their initial encounter, exploiting his celebrity status to relentlessly pursue an ambition of intimacy with 5,000 women.
At Southwark Crown Court, a jury convicted him of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was acquitted of two additional charges of rape and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.
References to Perry and faith removed
Throughout the month-long trial, prosecutors also agreed not to mention Brand's prior religious backgrounds, preceding his recent conversion to Christianity. Russell and Katy married in a traditional Hindu ceremony in Rajasthan, India, in 2010, at a venue close to a tiger sanctuary. Nevertheless, over the last two years, Brand has converted to Christianity. It now features prominently in his podcast and online content, and on several occasions during the trial, he was seen praying in the dock.
In legal submissions made before proceedings began, Ms Karmy-Jones stated: "The prosecution recognises that matters post 2009 involving his relationship with Katy Perry may be sensitive, as may his previous faiths, and we are content to remove these from the opening." She also agreed to remove references to Brand's baptism in the River Thames at Henley in 2024, an event which saw television personality Bear Grylls in attendance.
Marriage to Perry and investigation details
During his testimony, Brand discussed his brief marriage to Perry, explaining that he had achieved "staggering fame" at the time. Their relationship commenced following their first encounter on the set of Get Him To The Greek in 2009, but had concluded by late 2011. The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that Perry was not contacted to provide a witness statement throughout the investigation into Brand.
Senior crown prosecutor David Roberts stated: "We followed all reasonable lines of inquiry in statements that would have been relevant to the specific charges and I'm satisfied that all reasonable lines of inquiry were covered."
