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Russell Brand Trial: Woman Alleges She Was Raped By Star In Hotel Room After He Posed For Semi-Nude Photos
Confirmed
In Short: A woman alleges Russell Brand raped her in a hotel room after a cabaret performance at the 1999 Labour Party conference.
A woman has alleged that Russell Brand raped her in a hotel room after a cabaret performance at the 1999 Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.
During the show, Brand and the woman struck up a conversation after he playfully tugged her ponytail.
After the performance, she invited Brand back to her hotel room, as she did not wish to go to a bar or club.
The woman, who became visibly emotional during a 2023 interview, recalled that Brand was initially polite, courteous, and attentive, but then became increasingly aggressive.
She alleged that Brand was 'pushing and pushing' until he ejaculated, and that he later told her he gets tested regularly for sexually transmitted diseases.
The alleged victim did not report the incident at the time, fearing she would be blamed for inviting Brand to her room.
In court, the woman broke down in tears, recounting how she felt 'dirty' and 'disgusted' after the alleged assault.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC described Brand as a 'ruthless, calculated, and manipulative sexual predator' during the opening of the case.
The woman also expressed fear about the possibility of being pregnant, adding that she was having nightmares about the aftermath of the alleged attack.
Brand's former flatmate, Mark Pinheiro, testified that Brand had boasted about his sexual ambitions, including sleeping with 5,000 women.
The woman's decision to come forward was reportedly triggered by a 2023 Dispatches documentary about allegations of sexual misconduct against Brand.
Background
Russell Brand, the 51-year-old comedian and actor, arrived at Southwark Crown Court on Monday for the start of his trial on charges of rape and sexual assault.
What's confirmed
- The woman said a 2023 Dispatches documentary about allegation of sexual misconduct by Brand “triggered” her to go to police.
What's still developing
- “He was very gentlemanly… I didn’t think he was trying it on with me,” she said.
- Editor’s note: This story contains details of alleged sexual offenses that some readers may find distressing.
- Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis A woman who says Russell Brand raped her at a Labour Party conference said she was left feeling “dirty” and afraid she may be pregnant in the aftermath of the alleged attack.
- “It made me feel so dirty and I thought it was my fault… but in those days it was your fault, it was always your fault.” She added that she was “having nightmares” about the possibility of being pregnant.
- The alleged victim broke down in tears as she recalled feeling “frightened” of Brand when they were alone together in a hotel room To use the search feature, we need your consent to load Google Custom Search, which may use cookies or similar technologies.
- Russell Brand behaved as a “ruthless” sexual predator when he assaulted six women over a decade, a prosecutor said Wednesday, as she opened the rape and sexual assault case against the actor-comedian.
- The prosecutor said the other complainants include a woman who says Brand kissed and groped her at a London radio station in 2004 or 2005, leaving her feeling “dirty and disgusting”; and a then-21-year-old fan who says Brand anally raped her at his home after she met him at one of his shows in 2009.
- Actor Paul Bettany has also expressed concern about the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, describing himself as “trepidatious” about the technology’s future.
- As per the latest updates from Hollywood, Russell Brand’s rape and sexual assault trial has begun in the UK, where a prosecutor has accused the actor-comedian of being a “ruthless” sexual predator, allegations he denies.
- They individually went to police after a 2023 television program broadcast anonymous claims against Brand, she said.
- The second alleged incident involves a woman who was working at MTV in 2001, where she claims Brand grabbed her and tried to pull her into a toilet.
- At the start of the proceedings on Thursday, Sky News reported judge Mr Justice Bennathan told the jury that the allegations in the documentary have “never been tested in any court,” but it is relevant to the case since it spurred many of the alleged victims to come forward.