Jemima Goldsmith, the former girlfriend of Russell Brand, has said she called the police to have him removed from her house in 2014 during a "violent incident". The TV producer, 52, made the disclosure in a post on X on Monday, saying she had first-hand experience of the comedian's "violence, coercive control and abuse".
Her statement came hours after Brand was sentenced to prison for raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three TV and radio workers. Goldsmith said she was "glad and relieved" that Brand has "finally faced justice" and expressed admiration for the women who testified at his trial.
Goldsmith's statement on Brand's abuse
In her post, Goldsmith wrote: "I am and have always been strongly and unequivocally on the side of all of Brand's victims. I am in awe of the courageous women who came forward at Brand's trial, told their stories, testified and ensured justice was done. I have had my own personal experience of his violence, coercive control and abuse. I had to call the police to have him removed from my house in 2014 during a violent incident."
She said she decided against pressing charges or speaking publicly at the time due to concerns about the effect of media scrutiny on her children. Goldsmith added: "I have neither seen nor spoken to Brand since that period in 2014. Whilst my pain in relation to this, pales in comparison to what the women have testified in court have suffered, this was a difficult period in my life which has had a lasting impact."
Assistance to journalists and court testimony
Goldsmith confirmed she assisted the journalists who exposed Brand, naming Ros Urwin, Louisa Compton and Dorothy Byrne. She also said she undertook to testify in court about his abusiveness if the newspaper that published the victims' accounts were ever sued.
It has been reported that Brand and Goldsmith dated for a year in 2014. In her post, Goldsmith referred to a High Court harassment case which she and Brand won in 2015 against Szilvia Berki, a masseuse who alleged they treated her "like a prostitute".
Background of the harassment case
The case stemmed from a birthday massage arranged by Goldsmith for Brand in June 2014, which was not taken up. Berki had claimed she was assaulted by Brand, which he denied, and the alleged incident was investigated by police, who concluded there was no case to answer.
Goldsmith wrote that she was present the entire time Brand and Berki were together, adding: "I did not see anything untoward, despite the fact that he was later found guilty of sexually assaulting other women and he later physically assaulted me. If I saw any man abuse any woman under any circumstances, I would do my utmost to stop them, without hesitation."
Goldsmith said that while she was no longer in contact with Brand afterwards, she agreed to the suggestion by his lawyer of a harassment order.
