Katherine Ryan has said she feels "grief and relief" after Russell Brand was convicted of rape and sexual assault. The comedian released a statement reacting to Brand's convictions, saying there are "a lot of women speaking privately and quietly" following the verdict who feel "a very nuanced mix of emotions."
Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault on Thursday (November 5). Ryan previously claimed in an interview with Louis Theroux that there was a "predator" in the entertainment industry. She said she could not name the male comic as it would be a "litigious minefield" but mentioned that she had been on a TV programme with him and told the individual he was a "predator" to "his face."
Ryan's reaction to the verdict
Reflecting on the guilty verdict on her podcast Telling Everybody Everything, Ryan said: "It really made me feel just quite dysregulated again, caught off-guard, emotional, in awe of the survivors who also had nothing to gain. They came forward despite Russell Brand having fame, power, money, and a legion of fans ready to attack them."
She added: "I will never be someone who like, dances on graves. There has been some justice done today. There's a level of relief, but there's grief alongside relief."
Ryan continued: "Everything's nuanced, and it was proved in court that a terrible thing happened, and that means that a terrible thing happened. I just think again and again about people who have been hurt, and who have to carry that, who've carried that around long enough, and will continue to carry that in some way, regardless of what justice is done."
Concerns about what happens next
Ryan also expressed worry about the aftermath of the verdict: "This verdict came because women were hurt, and I worry as well about what happens next. Because he's obviously spent a long time cultivating this idea that the establishment have invented these claims against him, and he's martyred himself to a growing audience who really still think that it is the courageous survivors who are the villains in this story. I just... I don't know if you can podcast from jail. I hope not."
She added: "Today there are a lot of women speaking, like the way we always do, privately and quietly, the way we've learned to do, to avoid being attacked and to keep each other safe, and a lot of those women feel a very nuanced mix of emotions today."
Criticism of Brand's barrister
Ryan also blasted Brand's barrister, who launched into a furious tirade at a journalist outside the courtroom. Ian Winter KC confronted Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin, whose investigation led to Brand's victims coming forward, telling her: "I hope you are pleased with yourself."
Ms Urwin replied: "I'm pleased justice has been done," before Mr Winter said: "Well, it wasn't. You f***** it." "Congratulations," he added. Ryan said: "That was so unprofessional, so inappropriate, so aggressive. Really sickening."
Ian Winter has since reported himself to his regulator. He said: "Having seen the ways matters have been characterised in today's press I consider my professional duty requires me to self-report those allegations to the Bar Standards Board, so the matter can be subject to proper scrutiny. I have made such a report."
Brand is facing years behind bars after being found guilty of one rape and three sexual assaults.
