The jury’s task in Russell Brand’s trial now turns on how it assesses competing accounts of consent, credibility and the evidence presented over more than three weeks. Brand faces three rape charges, three sexual assault charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault. Six women have made allegations against him.
The jury weighs seven charges
The 12 jurors—eight men and four women—began deliberations after hearing evidence and closing arguments from both sides. A guilty verdict on any charge requires unanimity.
Mr Justice Bennathan directed the panel on the principles it must apply, including that the prosecution bears the burden of proving guilt. Jurors must acquit if they have reasonable doubt, and the judge told them not to hurry their decision.
“No jury can be criticized for taking too little or too much time in their deliberations; you alone must decide on that,” Bennathan told them, according to Deadline.
Defense argues Brand believed the encounters were consensual
In closing, Brand’s lawyer Ian Winter urged jurors to interpret his client’s conduct as evidence that he thought the women had consented. Winter said Brand was “seeking approval and adoration” and argued that his behavior after the alleged incidents was consistent with that belief.
Winter also pointed to Brand’s openly discussed sexual history. He argued that promiscuity, even when viewed as “morally distasteful,” is not itself unlawful. “Even being manipulative in the pursuit of consensual sex is completely lawful,” he said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The defense also challenged the way the allegations came to public attention. Winter accused a 2023 documentary about Brand of “poisoning the well of justice” and “fundamentally corrupting” the women’s accounts. He questioned whether the six complainants had formed their accounts independently, arguing that the documentary and the journalists behind the investigation influenced them.
Winter further noted that the women had not “resisted or screamed or even tried to leave” during the alleged encounters. The jury must consider that submission alongside the complainants’ testimony and the rest of the evidence.
- Russell Brand’s former assistant recalls quitting as she felt “sick” of his “insane sexual appetite”
- Russell Brand’s former pal testifies to desire for “conquest,” allegedly having a target of over 5,000 women
- Russell Brand’s wife “wanted to mend him” as their marriage faces trial.
Testimony included accounts from Laura Brand and the defendant
Laura Brand testified about her relationship with her husband, including the infidelity that ended their first relationship in 2007. She told the court she loved him but did not want to stay with someone who was seeing other people.
Brand later married singer Katy Perry in 2010; they divorced two years later. He and Laura reunited in 2015 and married in 2017. She acknowledged that his past behavior had caused her pain, while describing him as caring, kind and devoted to their family.
Brand addressed differences in his police statements
Brand took the stand and was questioned about differences between his trial testimony and earlier statements to police. During questioning by prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC, he said the case had taken a heavy toll on his life and attributed some discrepancies to gaps in his memory.
Asked by his own barrister whether he had found anyone with relevant evidence willing to testify for him, Brand said he had not.
A complainant described an alleged encounter in Soho
One woman told the court that Brand orally raped her shortly after they met at a Soho party 12 years ago. Jurors watched footage from her 2023 police interview, in which she described the encounter.
She said Brand grabbed her breasts after they had spoken briefly, and recalled being disturbed by what she called his “weird maniacal grin.” She alleged that he then led her to a toilet and forced his penis into her mouth. During cross-examination, Winter suggested she had followed Brand willingly because she was “charmed” by him; she rejected that account.
The jury’s verdict will determine how the court resolves the allegations and the sharply different interpretations of the evidence presented at trial.
