Russell Brand faces trial at Southwark Crown Court on seven charges including three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. The prosecution alleges the 51-year-old actor and comedian targeted six women over a 10-year period between 1999 and 2009. Brand denies all charges.
Riel Karmy-Jones KC, prosecuting, told jurors on Wednesday that the women "did not know each other", "have never met each other" and "came forward independently of each other". She described Brand as "ruthless" and a "sexual predator" whose behavior showed he was "not deterred" regardless of circumstances.
The prosecution outlined his alleged pattern across the encounters. According to the court, Brand was "nice when he wanted to be, funny, charming, likeable even, when he wanted something in return". But he was also "demanding, entitled" with a "huge sexual appetite" and expectations that "his every desire should be met". The court heard he would "appear indifferent, normal and untroubled" after alleged incidents, sometimes leaving promptly or continuing as though nothing had happened.
The jury heard details of six alleged offences. The first complainant alleges Brand raped her after meeting her at a Labour Party conference fringe event in 1999, before he was famous. When questioned by police in 2023, Brand said he did not remember the incident and denied ever engaging in non-consensual activity.
Other allegations include indecent assault by an MTV employee at toilets, oral rape following a 2004 party meeting, aggressive kissing and groping at Capital Radio around 2004 or 2005, and anal rape after a consensual encounter with a woman he met at Hammersmith Apollo in 2009. In the 2009 case, Brand allegedly texted the woman "I wanna push you further" after the encounter. She replied "you treated me like an animal". He allegedly responded "I'm sorry".
A sixth woman alleges sexual assault when Brand was on a work assignment in 2009, during which he "fell to his knees and placed his head directly into her groin area" while demanding a massage.
Brand's former flatmate Mark Pinheiro testified on Wednesday that Brand told him in 1999 he may have gone "a bit too far" with a woman at the Labour Party conference. Under cross-examination, Pinheiro confirmed Brand had said "things may have gone a little bit too far" or "I may have taken things a little too far".
The trial is expected to last six weeks. Brand attended court with his wife Laura on Wednesday.