Brand's defence says 2023 publications influenced trial — The Guardian

At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court, comedian Russell Brand's defence said that 2023 publications about allegations of his sexual misconduct had “poisoned” justice in the criminal case. Brand faces seven charges, including rape and sexual assault against six women; the alleged incidents span ten years, beginning in 1999. He denies all the allegations, The Guardian reports.

Defence arguments

Brand's lawyer, Iain Winter KC, questioned the rape allegations made by three complainants in his closing speech. He stressed that during the period in question, the comedian had sexual relationships with many women, while only three of them alleged non-consensual anal, oral or vaginal sex.

According to Winter, the Channel 4 Dispatches documentary and publications by The Times and The Sunday Times in 2023 prompted other women to come forward with allegations. The lawyer also cited significant delays in the women reporting to police.

The defence lawyer told jurors that a sexually active lifestyle is not in itself illegal. He also claimed that Brand's behaviour after the alleged incidents, which the complainants described as ordinary, supposedly indicated his belief that consent had been given.

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Prosecution's position

In her closing speech on Friday, prosecutor Riel Karmi-Jones KC rejected the version that the 2023 publications could have influenced the six women to such an extent that they invented or reinterpreted their contacts with Brand.

The earliest allegation dates back to 1999. One of the women told the court that Brand raped her after performing at a cabaret event during the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth. According to her, Brand gave her his email address and asked whether she liked what was happening.

Brand is charged with three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault. On Tuesday, a charge of indecent assault was changed to a charge of attempted indecent assault. The case is ongoing.