One of his fans told how she was raped as a 21-year-old by Brand in 2009 at his luxury London home, while female staffers at Channel 4, MTV, and Capital Radio came forward to reveal how they had been sexually assaulted by the TV star.
asserted
they → tell → star
On Monday, Mr Justice Bennathan slammed Brand’s “staggering arrogance” as he sentenced him to 10-and-a-half years in prison for rape and three counts of sexual assault.
asserted
he → slam → assault
The judge told Brand: “About 20 years ago Russell Brand, you were becoming famous, you were clever, and in many people’s eyes you were funny and charismatic.
asserted
you → tell → eyes
“You had also become a sexual predator.”
asserted
You → become → ?
The judge said Brand’s “status protected you” until in 2023 journalists from the Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches first exposed a litany of sexual misconduct, leading to women making complaints to police.
asserted
women → say → police
He said Brand harboured a “casual arrogant disregard to any woman’s right to say no to you”, while his fame meant he believed “you could act when you liked and how you liked”.
uncertain
you → say → you
The judge said the evidence in the case also showed that Brand’s entourage during his celebrity heyday had “indulged your dreadful behaviour”.
asserted
entourage → say → behaviour
Brand displayed no emotion in the dock as he was told his punishment, and he paused briefly to tell his wife “we’ll be OK” as he was being led away to the cells.
asserted
he → display → cells
The judge imposed a nine-year jail term for the rape, and added on an extra year and a half for the sexual assaults.
asserted
judge → impose → assaults
One of the victims called Brand “a sexual predator who has no remorse for how his behaviour has impacted my life”.
asserted
behaviour → call → life
The rape victim told the court how she was a big fan of Brand before going to see him at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2009, and she was picked out of the crowd by the comedian to join him backstage.
asserted
she → tell → him
She willingly engaged in a threesome at the venue, then agreed to visit Brand’s £2.3 million townhouse in Hampstead Village to have sex.
asserted
She → engage → sex
But she said the encounter turned into rape when Brand had anal sex with her, ignored her pleas for him to stop, and pinned her down so she was struggling to breathe.
asserted
she → say → her
She told the court on Monday that Brand’s rising fame, with starring roles in Hollywood films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Arthur, his marriage to singer Katy Perry, and his subsequent appearances on TV, radio, stage, and podcasts, left her afraid to speak out for years.
asserted
marriage → tell → years
“I felt that if I reported him, I would not be believed”, she said.
asserted
she → feel → him
“His fame, wealth and influence created a power imbalance which made me feel powerless.”
asserted
me → create → imbalance
The woman gave compelling evidence to Brand’s trial about willingly going to his home for sex, but the encounter starting off in unnerving fashion when he forced her to strip, shower, and brush her teeth.
asserted
he → give → teeth
She said the initial sex was “awkward” and unenjoyable but consensual, but it turned to rape when Brand started having anal sex without consent.
asserted
Brand → say → consent
After the attack, Brand forced his victim to clean up the mess on the bed, then coldly ejected her from his home.
asserted
Brand → force → home
He was convicted of sexually assaulting a female Channel 4 worker during a recording session in 2009, shortly after he had started dating Ms Perry.
asserted
he → convict → Perry
The woman, who was working alone with Brand and his entourage, was forced to massage the star when he threatened to derail the recording session, at which point he knelt down and thrust his head into her groin.
asserted
he → work → groin
She told the court her complaint at the time to Channel 4 was “brushed under the carpet by senior management”.
asserted
complaint → tell → management
She said: “There was a culture at the time which meant I felt I had to just carry on and not talk about it anymore.
“Which meant I did not give myself time to lament on it, boxed it up and pushed it aside.”
asserted
I → say → it
The woman said she was “quite innocent” before the attack by Brand, and his actions “burst that bubble”.
asserted
actions → say → bubble
She added: “I felt powerless in that moment, and it had a knock-on effect on my confidence because I felt like I had no control on that day and there was nothing I could do about what he did to me.”
uncertain
he → add → me
Brand was also found guilty by the jury of sexually assaulting an MTV worker in a Soho bar in 2004 during a birthday party.
asserted
Brand → find → party
Brand, wearing a “weird maniacal grin”, grabbed the woman’s breasts within seconds of meeting her.
asserted
Brand → wear → her
The judge said the woman was “extremely upset and traumatised”, illustrated by the fact she was walking the streets of London later in the evening while crying on the phone to a friend.
asserted
she → say → friend
Brand was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a Capital Radio worker when she bumped into him in a corridor in 2005.
asserted
she → find → 2005
She told the court Brand kissed her “sloppily”, groped her body, and just laughed when she eventually managed to push him away.
asserted
she → tell → him
The judge said members of Brand’s entourage “no doubt…thought it was outrageous, laddish behaviour only you could get away with”.
uncertain
you → say → entourage
But he told Brand: “It was outrageous and possibly laddish, but it was also a criminal offence, and as it turns out you haven’t got away with it.”
uncertain
you → tell → it
She said in her victim impact statement: “Russell Brand is a sexual predator who has no remorse for how his behaviour has impacted my life.
asserted
behaviour → say → life
“I just hope that he is not allowed to hurt any more women.”
asserted
he → hope → women
Brand was remanded into custody straight away after his conviction on Thursday last week.
asserted
Brand → remand → Thursday
Arriving in the dock on Monday morning, he mouthed to his wife “It’ll be okay, I don’t know how, but it will”, and he was seen praying and making a cross sign with his hand as the victim statements were aired.
asserted
statements → arrive → hand
Defence barrister Ian Winter KC told the court that Ms Gallacher, the sister of TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher and the daughter of Ryder Cup winning golfer Bernard Gallacher, is coping with “total devastation” after the guilty verdicts.
asserted
Gallacher → tell → verdicts
He said: “I’m afraid words are completely inadequate to truly try to convey to your Lordship the total devastation she’s experiencing.
“Currently (they) are wrestling with how to exactly explain to a child who’s just turned 10 what has happened here.
“
asserted
what → say → child
It brings home the consequences of this conduct to totally innocent people who have been caught up in it.”
asserted
who → bring → it
Ms Gallacher gave evidence in her husband’s defence during the trial, and at the sentencing hearing Mr Winter put forward six character references, including one from Georgina Baillie, the granddaughter of the late actor Andrew Sachs.
asserted
Winter → give → actor
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
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