Russell Brand was a "ruthless, calculated and manipulative" sexual predator, prosecutors have alleged as his trial began at Southwark Crown Court. The 51-year-old comedian faces seven charges relating to six different women, including three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault, between 1999 and 2009. He arrived at court on Wednesday with his wife and denies all the charges.
Prosecution opens case against comedian
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC, opening the case, said: "Russell Brand, as you may know, and if you didn't know before this trial, is a celebrity. He was born on June 4 1975 making him now 51 years old. He is here as he has been charged with a number of sexual offences including rape and sexual assault as you heard, those offences were committed against six different women between approximately 1999 and 2009."
Karmy-Jones said the women did not know each other then or now, had never met and came forward independently. "Their paths all crossed the defendant's either through their employment, social events or through attending gigs where he was performing."
Alleged offending across multiple locations
"The circumstances of the offending were as wide and as varied as the defendant's career," she said. "Offending took place in a number of locations: a hotel room, workplaces, a toilet cubicle in a bar and at his home address."
She added: "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, Russell Brand was not deterred."
Describing his behaviour, Karmy-Jones said: "His desire, strong desire for some form of sexual contact was indiscriminate and voracious. He would 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 - childlike in his expectation that his every desire should be met. He was ruthless, calculated and manipulative, and the prosecution say - a sexual predator."
