Russell Brand Takes Stand in London Rape Trial
The comedian denied all seven charges and told jurors that no one with relevant information agreed to testify for the defense.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
Russell Brand stood in the witness box at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday to deny every accusation in his criminal trial. He is facing three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault, with a fourth charge for attempted indecent assault added after a judge reduced the severity of one original count on Tuesday.
His defense attorney, Ian Winter KC, called Brand as the first witness for the defense. Winter asked the comedian directly if he had committed each alleged offense, and Brand answered no to every question. The lawyer then shifted the focus to Brand’s career, noting that his 2010 marriage to Katy Perry brought him what Brand described as staggering fame.
Brand revealed that he could not find a single witness with relevant information who agreed to testify on his behalf. He told the court that his entire life has been consumed by these allegations and that he has devoted himself to the matter. The case involves six women, all of whom have lifelong anonymity under UK law, and covers alleged offenses from 1999 to 2009.
The prosecution spent the previous two weeks detailing its case. Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC described Brand as ruthless and calculated, claiming he had an indiscriminate desire for sexual contact. The first accusation involves a rape at the 1999 Labour Party conference in Bournemouth. The second alleges an incident at MTV in 2001 where a woman said he grabbed her and tried to pull her into a toilet.
A third woman claims he squeezed her breasts at a Soho party in 2004 before orally raping her in a toilet. The fourth allegation dates to 2004 or 2005 at Capital Radio, where the prosecution said he pushed a woman against a wall and aggressively kissed her while grabbing her body. The fifth woman alleges an anal rape in 2009 after consensual vaginal sex, while the sixth claims he demanded a massage during a work assignment that same year.
On Tuesday, Mr Justice Bennathan reduced one charge from indecent assault to attempted indecent assault, citing insufficient evidence regarding the 2001 MTV incident. Brand pleaded not guilty to all charges. He told reporters outside the court on Wednesday that he was grateful for a system that allows for truth and justice.
The trial continues on Thursday.
Source: Variety
