Russell Brand has been found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court, prompting renewed attention to his past remarks about his 2010 marriage to Katy Perry.
Details of the trial
Katy Perry was not mentioned in the prosecution's case against Brand, and jurors were prevented from hearing details of the comedian's history of alcohol and drug addiction. The Grammy-nominated singer was removed from lead prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC's opening address following legal submissions by Brand's defence team. The prosecution also agreed not to raise Brand's former religious practices prior to his recent conversion to Christianity.
Resurfaced comments about his marriage
In a resurfaced online clip, Brand spoke about his marriage to the California Girls singer. He and Perry married in a traditional Hindu ceremony in Rajasthan, India, in 2010. The comedian reportedly ended the marriage via text message in 2012, just 14 months after tying the knot. Brand would reunite with his former flame and current wife Laura Brand in 2015, and the couple wed in 2017 and have welcomed three children together.
In the clip, Brand said, "What I can tell you is when I was married to Katy Perry - she's not like entirely normal. She's an extraordinary massive star. Like she's not weird or off-key. She wasn't involved in anything nefarious as far as I could tell."
Reasons for the split
He went on to share the truth behind why they separated. "And the reasons our marriage didn't work are the normal, human reasons marriages don't work. I have nothing but respect for her even though I disagree with her political views," Brand commented, in a video uploaded to his X account last year. "But I probably disagree with some of my wife's political views. My beloved wife Laura Brand's political views. You always disagree with people, don't you?"
Brand's political trajectory has evolved from a radical left-wing anarchist advocating against voting to an anti-establishment commentator who has aligned increasingly with conservative figures, alternative media, and populist Christianity.
Background of the allegations
Brand dipped his toe into the water of conspiracy theories in early 2021, earning him a new army of fans and millions of views. YouTube later announced it had stopped Brand earning money from his videos. Allegations against Brand first came to light following a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches. He faced seven charges involving six women, relating to alleged incidents between 2006 and 2013.
