Russell Brand sat in the dock at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday as his trial entered its third week, with the defence preparing its case after a judge reduced one charge of indecent assault to attempted indecent assault due to insufficient evidence.
The entertainer, 51, faces multiple charges involving six women spanning a decade from 1999 to 2009, including three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and consistently maintained that he never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity.
Judge Joel Bennathan Reduces MTV Incident Charge
During Tuesday’s proceedings at Southwark Crown Court, Mr Justice Bennathan instructed jurors to return a not-guilty verdict on one specific count of indecent assault. The charge stemmed from an allegation by a former MTV worker who said Brand attempted to pull her into a bathroom at MTV Europe’s London office in 2001.
I have reached the decision that there is insufficient evidence of indecent assault
Judge Bennathan told the court, adding that the determination was his decision rather than the jury’s. Following the ruling, the jury received an amended indictment ceding the charge to attempted indecent assault, to which Brand also pleaded not guilty.
Police Interviews Detail Promiscuous Lifestyle Claims
The prosecution introduced statements Brand made during four separate police interviews conducted between November 16, 2003, and July 17, 2005. In a pre-read statement to detectives, the comedian asserted that the allegations originated from a defamatory and fictitious documentary
containing false and anonymised
interviews.
As I have repeatedly stated publicly and written about extensively, I led a very promiscuous life in the past, which I have spent years openly denouncing.
Brand told investigators that subsequent public appeals by the media and police invited additional claims that resulted in further encounters to be invented or reimagined
over the decades. He described engaging in friendly and warm interactions with fans during public appearances while acknowledging that he shared kisses with hundreds of members of the public at live events, press junkets, and book signings. During police questioning, he maintained that he had never forced anyone into a toilet or forced his penis into anyone’s mouth, though he mentioned he had consensual sex in toilet cubicles during parties.
Former Personal Assistant Helen Berger Testifies on Work Culture
Earlier in the week, the court heard a statement from Helen Berger, who served as Brand’s personal assistant from June 2006 to February 2007 during the height of his career fame with Channel 4’s Big Brother, MTV, and the BBC.
Berger told the court that women would arrive at his flat during the day, and she observed that many women showed up because it was clear they were there for sex. She also recalled an incident where she found Brand having sex in the shower at the apartment he was renting, and another occasion when she discovered a celebrity leaving his bedroom in the morning. While she stated she never witnessed Brand do anything against the law, she added that she saw him treat women poorly, noting that he would sometimes walk around his flat shirtless or conduct interviews in an open robe without a top on.
Brand Denies Non-Consensual Sexual Encounters
Brand’s defence counsel, Ian Winter KC, has maintained to the jury that his client denies any non-consensual sexual encounters. The prosecution is set to conclude the final aspects of its case on Wednesday morning before the defence formally begins presenting its arguments at Southwark Crown Court.