One of Russell Brand's alleged victims claims he told her "don't be a spoilsport" as he raped her. The comedian, 51, is on trial accused of seven charges related to six different women, including three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault between 1999 and 2009. Brand has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.
Prosecution describes 'ruthless' behaviour
The court was told the actor is a "ruthless, calculated and manipulative" predator who raped and groped women to satisfy his sexual appetite. Jurors heard how one of the alleged victims told Brand that she "didn't want to do this" as he was raping her. He is alleged to have responded: "Oh come on, come on, don't be a spoilsport."
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC opened the case against him on Wednesday (October 14), telling the court how he used humour and "charm" in his pursuit of sex. Ms Karmy-Jones said Brand treated women as a "means to an end", adding that he was "child-like in his expectation that his every desire should be met".
Locations of alleged offences
She told the court: "Offending took place in a number of locations: a hotel room, workplaces, a toilet cubicle in a bar and at his home address. Some of the women involved protested and said no, others had no opportunity to react to his advances, but it mattered not to the defendant. Regardless of who they were and what they said or did, the defendant was not deterred."
The prosecutor continued: "His desire for some form of sexual contact was indiscriminate and voracious. He could be nice when he wanted to be – funny, undoubtedly; charming, likeable even – when he wanted something in return. But then demanding, entitled, a flirt with a huge sexual appetite – child-like in his expectation that his every desire should be met. He was ruthless, he was calculated, and he was manipulative, and the prosecution say – a sexual predator."
Brand's response outside court
She said that he "might even have made sexual advances within minutes of meeting them", and was "intent on trying to fulfil his sexual desire" after "he had identified his target". Ms Karmy-Jones went on: "After the event, he would appear indifferent, normal and untroubled by what had occurred, sometimes leaving promptly after it, sometimes making an excuse to get away or sometimes simply continuing to act as though nothing wrong had happened. He cared not who the woman was, or what state she was left in, or how he had left her feeling. Uppermost in his mind was his insatiable desire to get what he wanted with whomever he wanted it from. To the defendant, women were simply a means to an end."
As Brand arrived at Southwark Crown Court with his wife on Wednesday, he said: "Today I feel blessed, I feel of course concerned, but hopeful that this process will lead to good outcomes for everybody involved. That's my prayer."
If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999.
