A court has been shown photographs of a topless Russell Brand taken by a woman who alleges that he raped her in a hotel room in 1999. The comedian, actor, and podcaster, 51, is accused of attacking the woman in a Bournemouth hotel where she was staying during the Labour Party conference.
The pictures, shown to jurors at Southwark Crown Court on October 15, depict a youthful-looking and clean-shaven Brand with long brown hair, posing topless while wearing white trousers with a brown belt.
Photographs shown to jurors
In one of the images, Brand can be seen with his arms by his sides and his head tilted, with a slight smile on his face. In the other, the palm of his outstretched hand is pointed towards his face and his lips are pursed as if he was blowing a kiss.
Brand has pleaded not guilty to three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one allegation of indecent assault, after being accused by six women over alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009.
Woman's recorded interview
On Thursday, the jury was shown a recorded interview in which the woman said she went to the bathroom in the hotel room and when she came back, Brand was “there in his briefs”. She described the room as “small” and “white” and said she had invited Brand to make a tea or coffee before she went to the bathroom.
She said: “All I could remember properly was that he was practically naked, he’s got his briefs on. He was prancing around, being silly and then asking me to take pictures of him. I didn’t actually say anything, I was like ‘what’?”
She added: “I think he realised I was a bit shocked.”
Alleged assault details
The woman recounted how Brand acted “like Basil Fawlty when he does his goose steps” before the alleged rape. She told the officer: “I remember him being like an ostrich – like a bird because he was very leggy. I wasn’t laughing, I just remember him jumping up and down being silly.”
She added: “Almost like Fawlty Towers-esque, like Basil Fawlty when he does his goose steps.”
The woman said she remembered feeling “frightened” after Brand allegedly forced her to take pictures of him on her camera. The court heard the alleged victim say: “I took pictures of him on my camera – he made me take them. I was frightened. I remember feeling ‘what on earth have I got myself into’ – and then he did rape me. He pushed me onto the bed. He did take my trousers off.”
The trial continues.
