The defence case in Russell Brand's trial is expected to begin next week after six women gave evidence alleging rape or sexual assault over the nine days since proceedings started. Brand, 51, denies all seven charges: three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault.
Allegations spanning a decade
Opening the trial on October 14, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC outlined allegations against Brand covering a decade between 1999 and 2009. The court heard evidence from six alleged victims, including a woman who said Brand raped her in a hotel room after the 1999 Labour Party conference in Bournemouth. She told the court he 'pranced' around the room like the TV character Basil Fawlty, insisting "it's fun, it's normal" as he raped her.
Brand's barrister suggested in cross-examination that the woman had "fallen under his spell" and consented to the encounter. Another woman alleged Brand tried to drag her into a toilet at MTV's central London offices where she worked in 2001, describing him as a "wild-eyed maniac" who grabbed her by the arm. His lawyer said Brand had been seeking a consensual encounter and quit when the woman said no.
Further allegations and prosecution wrap-up
Brand is also accused of groping a woman at a birthday party at the Nordic Bar in Soho, where he allegedly dragged her into a toilet and raped her. She claimed he "lunged" at her and grabbed her breasts within minutes of meeting her. In response, Brand's barrister suggested the woman had been excited to meet the TV star and had willingly entered the toilet, adding the encounter was cut short because of the "disgusting" state of the toilets.
A radio worker at Choice FM alleged "sloppy" kisses by Brand in 2005, saying he kissed her and pushed his body against her in front of his entourage. She said she came forward after viewing a Dispatches documentary in 2023 detailing separate sexual misconduct claims against Brand. A fifth victim alleged Brand raped her when she was 21 after a comedy show in 2009, claiming he forced her to shower and brush her teeth at his Hampstead townhouse before having unwanted anal sex. The final allegation is that Brand put his head into a woman's lap after she had been forced to give him a massage.
Defence case and trial timeline
The prosecution is expected to wrap up early next week, with Brand's team putting forward their defence likely at the end of the third week. The trial is expected to continue for up to ten weeks. Brand has sat rigidly in the dock, and it is not known whether he will give evidence. There is no obligation for Brand to testify, and the choice will be up to him and his team, as the burden of proof is on the prosecution. His lawyers will evaluate the evidence before deciding whether he will take the stand. Almost every day, Brand has been accompanied by his wife, Laura Gallacher.
