Russell Brand's wife told his rape and sexual assault trial at Southwark Crown Court that he is "caring" and "kind", while confirming he had been unfaithful during their early relationship.
Laura Brand, sister of TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, appeared in court on Thursday and revealed the comedian had relationships with other women during their initial courtship in 2006 and 2007.
She said they reignited their relationship in 2015, married two years later, and now have three children. She told the jury: "Russell, my husband, is caring, he is kind, he is a wonderful father to our children. He is an amazingly attentive husband."
Wife's testimony about their relationship
She added: "He has got an eye for detail I've never known before. The way he treats me is to really know me, I feel very seen by him in every way. I love him very much."
The court heard Brand first met his future spouse in August 2006 when her sister secured tickets for one of his performances. She described the show as "extremely entertaining", featuring "very explicit" content, and recalled approaching Brand in the entrance afterwards to thank him for the tickets.
She said: "He obviously acknowledged my friend, who is very beautiful, and said to my friend have you got a boyfriend? She said 'yes, I do', and he looked at me and said 'tell me you don't have a boyfriend' and I said no."
Early relationship and infidelity
Ms Gallacher said Brand respected her decision not to have full sex on their first date, telling the court: "I didn't intend to, and I don't remember him asking." She described him as "totally caring", allowing the relationship to develop "totally at my pace".
She explained: "I was not experienced, I had only had one partner before Russell. I felt entirely cared for and looked after by Russell."
Brand's wife said she was aware of his reputation before meeting him – "he liked women" – and discovered while they were seeing each other that he had been sleeping with other people. She stated: "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."
Later years and current marriage
She confirmed they remained friends while Brand had a short-lived marriage to singer Katy Perry, and rekindled their romance in 2015 before marrying in 2017. When asked if she was "aware of his promiscuity" while they were separated, she replied: "I was very aware of it. I could read about it regularly in the papers, so I was aware of it and he also told me."
Discussing their current dynamic, she commented: "We have a very honest, frank, and clear relationship and marriage. It is one of the most important parts of our marriage, and our relationship has always been honest."
Earlier, statements from two of Brand's ex-girlfriends were presented to the court, with both providing positive assessments of his character while also confirming he had been unfaithful to them. Throughout his wife's testimony, Brand was observed smiling and laughing on occasion, and appeared to be mouthing words in her direction as she discussed his 2024 baptism. Once she had finished giving evidence, the judge dismissed the jury until Friday morning.
Giving evidence on Wednesday, he maintained that consent is "non-negotiable" and told the jury it is "more important than sex itself". He denies three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault. The trial continues.
