Russell Brand says allegations had devastating impact on him

Russell Brand has described the impact of a documentary that contained accusations against him as “devastating,” particularly in how it affected his relationships with friends and colleagues. The comedian and actor began giving evidence in his defence at Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday, in a trial where he faces serious allegations. Brand, 51, is charged with three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted indecent assault, all alleged to have occurred between 1999 and 2009. He denies all the charges.

During his testimony, Brand emphasized the importance of consent, stating to the court, “Consent is fundamental, essential, necessary and indeed in many ways more important than sex itself.” When questioned by his defence barrister, Ian Winter KC, Brand firmly denied all the allegations, responding with a loud “no” after each charge was read out. The 2023 documentary, which featured some of the accusations, was also discussed during the hearing. Brand said the impact of the documentary led to friends and associates turning away from him. Asked if anyone had been willing to come forward to support him in court, Brand admitted that he had not been able to persuade anyone, jokingly answering “No” to whether they would “touch me with a bargepole.”

Brand also shared an emotional moment in court when he described being barred from staying with his son at Great Ormond Street Hospital during the child’s open heart surgery, attributing this to the fallout from both the documentary and a newspaper investigation. He told the court that he and his wife, Laura, were given unclear legal reasons for this decision. Reflecting on the toll of the allegations, Brand said, “My entire life has been consumed by these allegations,” noting how he has “devoted myself to these matters.”

Several specific allegations were examined during Brand’s testimony. He recalled meeting the first complainant, who claims he raped her at a Labour Party conference in 1999, describing her as “loquacious” and “interesting,” but denied any rape. When cross-examined about whether he cared about consent, Brand refuted suggestions that he “just didn’t care,” stating, “I know what no means.” He also denied allegations from another woman who claimed he grabbed her breasts and raped her after dragging her into a toilet in 2004. Brand recalled meeting her at a London party but insisted he did not behave as alleged, calling such acts “disgusting behaviour” that would be both criminal and vulgar. He denied forcing her into the toilet or any sexual acts occurring there.

The court also heard from Brand regarding claims by a former MTV colleague who says he tried to drag her into a toilet at work in 2001, which he strongly denied intending to be non-consensual. In relation to a woman accusing him of anal rape in 2009, Brand recounted a consensual sexual encounter after a show at the Hammersmith Apollo, explaining he even saved her number using a code in his phone to denote casual hookups. He rejected the allegation that he had raped her analy, also denying she asked him to stop during the encounter. Brand was questioned about his marriage to singer Katy Perry in 2010, acknowledging it brought him “staggering fame.” He also agreed with suggestions that he blamed the Channel 4 documentary Dispatches for the allegations but strongly rejected the idea that the media had treated him fairly.

The trial is ongoing

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