Laura Gallacher has shared a video on Russell Brand's YouTube account, reading a message from her husband, who was jailed this week for 10-and-a-half years after being found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others during his career.
The episode, released on Sunday, is part of the couple's weekly video series called Sunday Service, which they began earlier this year and continued throughout the trial. Gallacher opened the episode by reading a passage from Brand's bible, saying: "Russell has asked me to read something to you."
Brand's message from prison
Reading from a notebook, Gallacher relayed Brand's words: "Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, God bless you for your support. As you know, I am not guilty for the offences I have been jailed for, so something strange is happening. The good news is that Christ is with us when we choose him, and I do."
Brand's message continued: "I am incarcerated in HMP Littlehey, little as in small, and hey as in hey, I'm in the biggest sex offenders' prison in Europe. The good news is that I have already seen that the staff here are strong, they are kind, and they are dedicated. And as for my fellow prisoners, I now know that I am in no position to judge anyone."
He added: "I don't know which other men here are not guilty, and the ones that are, they are people that Christ died to save, like you and me, let us all love, pray for, and forgive one another as God forgave us."
Gallacher's emotional tribute
Gallacher choked up as she read the closing words: "Please support my treasured wife and family. I feel your prayers, your brother in Christ. Russell."
She began the episode by saying she is there to "continue the good work that was being established here in this Sunday service community, something very, very close to mine and Russell's heart."
Gallacher added: "It may look different, but the ambitions are very much the same, and we trust God, and we trust his plan, and we trust everything he's doing right now. Even though it's painful, and obviously, will take some getting used to for me to even sit here and not have my companion and my person with me, but I want to continue, and I'm grateful for the support."
Transfer to HMP Littlehey
Gallacher said she has been speaking to her husband, adding: "He's okay, and he's praying." She also confirmed Brand had been moved to HMP Littlehey after he had previously been placed in HMP Wandsworth.
This sees Brand moved to a less secure prison, with Littlehey being category C compared to Wandsworth's category B status. He is expected to serve two-thirds of his prison sentence before being released on licence, and he will be on the sex offenders' register for life.
