British actor and comedian Russell Brand denied all seven charges against him when he testified at Southwark Crown Court in London on October 28. Reuters and ITV reported that the 51-year-old answered each allegation put to him by his lawyer, Ian Winter, with a denial.
The case concerns six women and alleged offences between 1999 and 2009: three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. The jury has heard the complainants’ accounts. Prosecutors allege that Brand forced women into sexual activity; he denies any non-consensual conduct.
According to Reuters, jurors had previously been told that the women approached detectives after a 2023 documentary and newspaper reports. Those reports carried anonymous allegations from other women who are not involved in this trial. The testimony on Wednesday came during the third week of proceedings.
ITV reported that Brand described consent as essential and denied the alleged offences individually. He said he remembered some encounters but did not recall others, including an alleged incident involving an MTV worker in 2001. His account is defence testimony, and the allegations remain contested in court.
Asked about the impact of the reporting, Brand told jurors that friends and former colleagues had distanced themselves from him. ITV reported that he said he had been unable to persuade anyone with relevant evidence to testify on his behalf. He described the personal consequences as devastating.
Reuters reported that prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones challenged why Brand now recalled details after earlier police interviews in which he had not remembered the women or incidents. He said his recollections developed during the process. The trial continues; Reuters said jurors were told they were likely to begin considering verdicts on Tuesday.
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