Woman Describes Alleged Brand Assault as Violent

 

Reader discretion is advised: This report contains graphic details.

 

A woman who alleges that comedian Russell Brand sexually assaulted her has described the encounter as “frenzied” and “violent” as she gave evidence during his criminal trial in London. Brand denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty, maintaining that any sexual contact, if it occurred, was consensual.

The 51-year-old faces seven charges, including three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. The allegations involve six female complainants and cover a period between 1999 and 2009.

Witness Describes Alleged Encounter

The jury heard evidence from the fourth complainant on Tuesday. She alleges that Brand assaulted her at the Choice FM radio studios in central London during the mid-2000s.

The woman told the court that she had come out of a small room when she encountered Brand outside. She said he greeted her before grabbing her face and kissing her, then pressing his body against hers.

She described the alleged encounter as sudden and overwhelming, saying she had little time to understand what was happening.

According to her testimony, Brand continued kissing her while moving his hands over her body. She said her back was against a wall during the encounter.

Witness Says She Pushed Him Away

The woman told the jury that the kissing was rough and that Brand’s hands touched her breasts and buttocks while his body remained pressed against hers.

She said she eventually pushed him away and swore at him. She also claimed that several people were present with Brand but did not intervene or raise concerns about what had happened.

The witness, who is now in her 50s, said she had never met Brand before the alleged incident. She believed he had been at the studios because of his involvement with Channel 4 programme Big Brother’s Big Mouth.

Explaining why she used the word “frenzied”, she told the court that the alleged encounter felt violent because, in her account, Brand did not stop.

Witness Explains Why She Stayed Silent

The woman said she felt dirty, shocked and shaken after the alleged incident. She told the jury that she had not initially disclosed what happened to anyone.

During questioning by Brand’s defence barrister, she was asked why people who may have witnessed the encounter had not raised concerns.

She responded that the culture at the time was different from today and that she had questioned herself about why she did not speak out sooner.

The woman said she had considered whether anyone would believe her and feared that reporting the allegation could jeopardise her employment. She also cited her mortgage and financial responsibilities as concerns.

She said she had kept the experience buried for years before deciding to come forward after watching a television documentary about Brand and allegations concerning his behaviour.

Second Woman Gives Evidence

The jury also heard from another complainant who worked with Brand on a Channel 4 project in 2009. She testified from behind a screen in the courtroom.

The woman said members of Brand’s team asked her to give him a massage while they were in the same space. She said she refused, after which Brand allegedly entered the room and placed his head in her lap, near her groin.

When asked by the prosecution to clarify where his mouth and nose were positioned, she said they were in her vaginal area. She described the alleged incident as repulsive.

The witness also told the court that she reported the alleged incident to her line manager at the time, who then passed the complaint further up the organisation.

Brand Denies All Allegations

Brand remained largely still as the witnesses gave evidence, according to the courtroom account. His wife, Laura Brand, was seated nearby and appeared to listen to the proceedings.

The allegations presented in court remain unproven, and Brand denies the charges against him. His defence maintains that any sexual contact, if it took place, was consensual.

The trial is continuing, with the jury hearing evidence from the complainants as the prosecution and defence present their respective cases.