A mother from North Yorkshire has recalled comedian Russell Brand's "inappropriate" remarks to her 17-year-old daughter, saying she now looks back and wonders how she thought it was acceptable.
Phoning into the Jeremy Vine show on Friday morning (6 November), mum Jo told host Charlotte Hawkins, "I consider myself a very responsible parent, but myself and my daughter went to watch Russell Brand about seven, eight, maybe nine years ago. My daughter was 16 or 17 at the time; she really liked Russell Brand."
"Anyway, at the end of the show, we went to the stage, and he was talking to everybody and looked straight at my daughter and went, 'Oh, you're beautiful,' and me and my daughter went, 'Isn't that nice?'"
Hindsight and Regret
"Actually, I look back now and think how on earth did I think that was the appropriate response to a young girl, from somebody obviously in his 30s?" Jo said. "I look back now, and I think I almost became blind to it."
"I look back now, and I think, for goodness sake, why didn't you think that's not appropriate? I think it's a comment on how, in society, we sometimes make things acceptable, and we all get bought along, and actually, quite often, it's not acceptable."
After sharing her story, panellist Narinder Kaur told Jo not to blame herself. "Don't beat yourself up about that," she assured her. "It's often hindsight, which is what you're doing, and that makes you a great mum to say, 'Actually, something doesn't feel right about this.'"
Conviction and Ongoing Investigation
Agreeing with Kaur, Hawkins added, "It's true to say hindsight is a great thing."
Brand, 51, hit headlines on Thursday (5 November), after he was found guilty on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court. Following the verdict, the Get Him to The Greek actor was remanded in custody and escorted to a jail cell. Brand's sentencing will take place on Monday (9 November).
While Brand's four-week trial reached a verdict this week, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed that he remains under investigation for further allegations made by two more women.
