A woman sexually assaulted by Russell Brand told Southwark Crown Court she has received death threats from his supporters and felt like "damaged goods" after the attack in a Soho bar.
The survivor read her victim impact statement from behind a beige curtain on Monday, as proceedings were delayed so Brand could not see her. She described feeling "physically sick" when she saw the comedian on television and said the assault had haunted her for decades.
Attack at a Soho bar party
The woman said Brand sexually assaulted her in the summer of 2004 at a party in a bar in Soho, London, by grabbing her breasts less than a minute after they began chatting. She told the court she was left in "shock and turmoil" and "extremely upset and traumatised".
Brand is being sentenced for rape and three counts of sexual assault after being found guilty at the same court on Thursday. During the hearing, the woman said the attack affected how she viewed herself, leaving her without self-respect and leading her into situations with toxic men because she had no self-worth.
Death threats and panic attack
The woman described seeing newspaper front pages about her case, which she said caused the only panic attack she has ever had. She also spoke of her character being "torn apart" on social media by people who believed the women were making up their accounts.
She told the court she has received accusations and death threats from "manic supporters" of Brand on social media, and fears a "crazy person" will come after her or her family. The last three years, she said, have been a "massive strain" and the fear and anticipation of the trial has taken a "huge toll" on her mental and physical health.
Industry reaction and next steps
Former head of Channel 4 news Dorothy Byrne appeared on Sky News calling for every company Brand had ever worked at to launch an investigation. She said the wider industry needs to ask itself questions and that there could be "many, many victims, possibly even hundreds of women" who have been harassed or assaulted by Brand over decades.
The judge thanked the woman for coming to court to give her witness statement in person. Victim impact statements are taken into account by the judge when deciding upon an appropriate sentence.
