Katy Perry's pointed remark about her ex-husband Russell Brand, made months before his conviction, has resurfaced online as the disgraced comedian awaits sentencing. During a UK tour stop in July, the singer told an audience at Blenheim Palace Festival in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, that she hoped Brand was not among those watching, adding: "He should be in jail."
Remark Made Four Months Before Conviction
Perry, 41, made the comment during an interactive segment of her set at the 10,000-capacity venue. Fans' faces were shown on a giant laptop and she asked them to strike various poses. When one fan was told to "pose like you've just seen your ex," Perry joked through the microphone: "I hope my ex isn't here, he should be in jail."
Brand, 51, was found guilty last Thursday following a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London. He was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, and acquitted of two other rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault. The jury deliberated for eight-and-a-half hours before reaching its verdicts.
Trial Details and Legal Submissions
The Mirror reports that jurors were blocked from hearing about Perry after the prosecution had wanted to mention the couple's marriage. In pre-trial submissions, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC said: "The prosecution recognises that matters post 2009 involving his [Brand's] relationship with Katy Perry may be sensitive, as may his previous faiths, and we are content to remove these from the opening."
Brand's defence lawyer Ian Winter KC said in his pre-trial argument that one complainant claimed Perry may have been present when Brand put his head in her lap while working on a Channel 4 project. Winter said: "She [the complainant] says that other people were in the room and witnessed it, possibly including the defendant's future wife, Ms Katy Perry."
The CPS confirmed Perry was not asked for a witness statement during the investigation. Statements from two of Brand's ex-girlfriends were read aloud at Southwark Crown Court as part of his defence.
Marriage and Public Comments
The only reference to Perry during the trial came when Brand gave evidence and mentioned their 14-month marriage in connection with a period when he had achieved "staggering fame". The pair began dating in 2009 after meeting on the set of his film Get Him to the Greek, and married a year later in a traditional Hindu and spiritual ceremony. They split in 2012.
Perry has previously spoken about the relationship. In a 2020 interview with 60 Minutes Australia, she said: "It was just like a tornado; it was everything happening at once." In 2013 she told Vogue: "At first when I met him, he wanted an equal, and I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal, and they're like, I can't handle the equalness. He didn't like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour. So that was really hurtful, and it was very controlling, which was upsetting."
Brand is due to be sentenced today (Monday) for the offences.
