A woman who alleges Russell Brand raped her in a hotel room said the comedian changed from “camp, friendly and effeminate” to “monster-like” before the alleged assault. The testimony came during Brand’s ongoing trial at Southwark Crown Court, where he faces seven charges: three counts of rape, three of sexual assault, and one of indecent assault.
The allegations span a decade, from 1999 to 2009, involving six female complainants. Brand, 51, denies all charges and insists any sexual contact was consensual.
On Thursday, one complainant described meeting Brand before he was famous at the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth in 1999. She told the jury Brand appeared “dark and arrogant and performing – he was scary, he was demanding.” She alleged that after returning to a hotel room with him, Brand raped her.
The woman said she initially believed Brand was gay and did not feel he was “trying it on” with her. She recalled, “I was in the bathroom, but when I came out he had like briefs on – and I was like taken aback and shocked. He was prancing around.” Brand allegedly told her, “Don’t worry, that’s how I am.”
She described being made to take photos of Brand with his top off before the alleged assault. The jury was shown one image the woman said she took. In a police interview recorded in 2023, she said, “I’m reporting that Russell Brand did rape me. What I’m going to say now – then, I second guessed myself if it was rape because it was so normal. Sorry… he raped me basically – I know that happened. I remember him touching my breasts a lot – while kissing my neck.”
Throughout the video evidence, Brand appeared focused, rarely shifting his gaze from the screen.
The complainant told the jury she felt threatened by Brand’s size and half-naked state. “He was the centre of the show, it was like it was back on stage – he wasn’t the [same] person I was chatting to,” she said. “He just changed suddenly from this… camp, friendly and effeminate to monster-like.”
She recalled Brand acting “like Basil Fawlty when he does his goose steps” and mimicking an ostrich due to his long legs. “I wasn’t laughing, I just remember him jumping up and down being silly,” she said.
After Brand left, the woman said she was “just sitting there crying and I felt stupid.” At points during the police interview, she became emotional, saying, “this was something dirty that had happened.” She added she “thought it was my fault” and had nightmares about possibly being pregnant.
She said she delayed reporting the alleged rape because she feared it would damage her professional life. “I was told if you come out with this, your career is done,” she said.
Under cross-examination, Brand’s barrister Ian Winter KC suggested the woman initially welcomed Brand’s attention. She responded, “I welcomed his company, not what followed.” When asked if she fell under his spell or found him attractive, she said, “That’s incorrect. I did not fall under his spell and I did not find him attractive.”
Asked why she agreed to go back to the hotel room, the woman said she thought Brand was gay, “very softly spoken, very effeminate. I felt safe – I felt sexually safe with him. He was very intelligent and that appealed to me, not in a sexual sense.”
When questioned about why she did not leave the room once Brand had removed some of his clothes, she said, “What was I supposed to do? Hide in bathroom? Walk out of the room? Walk past him? I had no phone, no reception, no idea where I was. Run into the night with him following me?”
Referring to the photographs, she said, “I took those photographs; he told me to take them; he was showing off; he was prancing around… I was scared… I couldn’t fight him.” She added, “I blame myself for allowing him back into my room.”
The defence also questioned why the woman did not report the incident to police in Bournemouth. She said she “didn’t want anyone to know” and “didn’t think anyone would believe me.”
She told the jury she blamed herself “in that moment” and said, “I hate that I blamed myself, I shouldn’t have to blame myself.” She added, “I regret to this day the error in judgment thinking this man would not rape me.”
Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial continues.
According to Joy Online.
