Russell Brand's wife told jurors on Thursday that the comedian and broadcaster was a "kind" and "caring" husband who respected her wishes throughout their relationship.
asserted
who → tell → relationship
Giving evidence for the defence at Southwark Crown Court, Brand’s wife formerly known as Laura Gallacher, said she had felt "entirely cared for and looked after" by Brand when they first began dating.
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they → give → Brand
The court heard the couple first met in 2007 before separating and later rekindling their relationship in 2015.
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couple → hear → 2015
They married two years later and have three children together.
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They → marry → children
Asked about the early stages of their relationship, Mrs Brand told jurors she was relatively inexperienced and had only had one previous partner before meeting the entertainer.
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she → ask → entertainer
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"I felt entirely cared for and looked after by Russell," she said.
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she → read → Russell
She added that if she did not want to do something, Brand "respected my view".
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Brand → add → view
Describing her husband's character, she told the jury: "Russell, my husband, is caring, he is kind, he is a wonderful father to our children.
"
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he → describe → children
"The way he treats me is to really know me.
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he → treat → me
I feel very seen by him in every way.
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I → feel → way
I love him very much."
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I → love → him
However, Ms Brand also told jurors the pair briefly split in 2007 because she was uncomfortable with his relationships with other women.
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she → tell → women
"I was invested, we both had told each other we loved each other but it was clear it was difficult for him to be monogamous," she said.
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she → tell → other
"I wasn't interested in having a relationship with him if he was sleeping with other people."
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he → have → people
Her appearance marked the latest stage of the defence case in Brand's trial, which has heard weeks of evidence relating to allegations made by a number of women.
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which → mark → women
Brand has denied the allegations against him.
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Brand → deny → him
Asked if she was “aware of his promiscuity” during their time apart, she said: “I was very aware of it.
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I → ask → it
I could read about it regularly in the papers, so I was aware of it and he also told me.”
uncertain
he → read → me
Turning to their relationship now, she said: “We have a very honest, frank, and clear relationship and marriage.
“
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We → turn → relationship
During his wife’s evidence, Brand could be seen smiling and laughing at times, and he appeared to be mouthing words towards his wife as she talked about his 2024 baptism.
uncertain
she → see → baptism
Mrs Brand’s evidence was also briefly interrupted when defence barrister Ian Winter KC attempted to ask for her view on the “truth of the allegations”.
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KC → interrupt → allegations
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC interjected, saying “No, no, no”, the judge Mr Justice Bennathan pointed out she is not an expert witness and, after a short break, Mr Winter continued by asking for Mrs Brand’s “view of his character”.
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Winter → interject → character
Earlier, statements from two of Brand’s ex-girlfriends were read to the court, as they gave accounts of his character and also said he had cheated on both of them.
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he → read → them
Classically trained ballet dancer Elia Alvarez Diaz dated Brand for three years, between 1996 and 1999, when they were studying together at drama school, including a period of 15 months when they lived together.
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they → train → months
She said their relationship ended because he cheated on her repeatedly, but she also put forward words to support his character.
She said Brand acquired a “bad boy reputation” and was a “complex character”, she said “at times he was gentle, kind, warm and generous” and added that he was “exciting to be with” and life was “never dull”.
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life → say → times
Ms Diaz said Brand had “considerable energy”, but she also said he sometimes “needed to be by himself quietly, in his own mind.
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he → say → mind
When I said ‘no’, however, he accepted it.”
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he → say → it
She said Brand “loved to be the centre of attention” and “never had any difficulties in attracting attention and interest from women”.
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Brand → say → women
She added their relationship “failed because I could no longer trust him to be faithful, or contribute to rent, bills, and other household expenses”.
uncertain
I → add → rent
A second ex-girlfriend, Amanda Alguero Alejos, told the court she met Brand in October 1999 when he was her teacher at the Callan School of English on Oxford Street, central London.
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he → tell → Street
She said she was a few months older than Brand, she told him he was attractive during a social occasion, and they struck up a romance.
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they → say → romance
“He was very loving, thoughtful and patient with me”, she said, telling the court Brand would write her poetry.
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Brand → say → poetry
“We laughed a lot together, it was a beautiful relationship”, she said.
“I always felt truly cherished and loved.”
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I → laugh → ?
She admitted being “captivated” by Brand, and insisted that they had never had sex without consent.
“He was undoubtedly promiscuous, never in front of me and never when I was around.
“That was not what mattered to me at the time.”
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what → admit → time
Ms Alejos told the court she later accompanied Brand to events when he was famous, and saw women “circling like birds in front of us”.
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women → tell → us
At the end of Mrs Brand’s evidence, jurors were sent away by the judge until Friday morning.
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jurors → send → morning
Brand is on trial accused of offences involving four women between 1999 and 2009.
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Brand → accuse → 1999
In evidence on Wednesday, he insisted consent is “non-negotiable” and told jurors it is “more important than sex itself”.
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it → insist → sex
He denies three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted indecent assault.
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He → deny → assault
Jurors were sent home after Ms Brand finished giving evidence and are due to return on Friday to receive legal directions from the judge.
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Brand → send → judge
…and 2 more, not listed.
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