Russell Brand court trial hears evidence from alleged rape victim

Comedian Russell Brand is on trial at Southwark Crown Court facing seven charges relating to six women over a ten year period between 1999 and 2009. The Guardian and BBC News report that the 51 year old comedian faces three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault. The Guardian and the London Evening Standard both report that the trial is taking place in London. [1][2][5][9]

The Guardian, BBC News, and the Herts Advertiser report that a jury was shown evidence regarding an alleged assault at a Soho bar in 2004. According to BBC News, a video interview recorded with police in 2023 showed the complainant stating she closed her eyes and tried not to be there. The woman said the incident occurred after she spoke with him about hosting a television show. [1][2][6]

The Guardian, The Independent, and the Herts Advertiser report that the complainant described Brand as having a large grin like a clown when he grabbed her. The Guardian reports that Brand allegedly forced an MTV worker into a toilet and raped her within a minute of meeting her at a birthday party, leaving her shaking and numb. [1][3][6]

Brand originally gained prominence in the United Kingdom as a stand up comedian, actor, and television presenter. He hosted Big Brother's Big Mouth, a spin off of the reality television series Big Brother on E4. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Brand denies all seven charges against him, which include three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault. [2][7][9]