Russell Brand trial: Comedian described as 'ruthless, calculated' by prosecution
What's the story
The opening statement of the prosecution in the rape trial of actor-comedian Russell Brand has described him as "ruthless and calculated." The allegations involve six female complainants, who have been granted automatic lifelong anonymity under UK law. The alleged offenses took place between 1999 and 2009. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault.
Allegations
The victims 'came forward independently of each other'
The prosecution, led by Riel Karmy-Jones KC, described Brand's "strong desire for some form of sexual contact" as "indiscriminate and voracious."
The alleged victims "did not know each other, have never met each other" and "came forward independently of each other," Karmy-Jones noted.
She further alleged that Brand is a "sexual predator" who would sometimes leave promptly after an alleged assault or continue as though nothing wrong had happened.
Other claims
Testimony from Brand's former friend
The prosecution presented the testimony of a former friend of Brand, who claimed that the comedian had expressed a desire to sleep with "5,000 women" in his lifetime.
The first victim, who was in her 20s at the time of the incident in 1999, met him at a Labour Party conference.
She later invited him into her hotel room, where he allegedly raped her.
The complainant did not report the incident due to Brand's "celebrity status," which she now regrets.
Second incident
Details of alleged assaults on other women
In a second alleged 2001 incident, Brand asked an MTV employee in her 30s for the toilets, then asked her to "come in" and grabbed her forearm.
The third victim claims she met him at a party in Soho in 2004, where he allegedly grabbed her breasts and orally raped her.
The fourth allegation occurred at Capital Radio in 2004-2005, where he pushed a woman against a wall and "aggressively" kissed her while grabbing her body.
Final incidents
Brand provided a prepared statement to police
The fifth incident occurred in 2009, when the complainant met Brand at London's Hammersmith Apollo.
They had consensual sex, but he allegedly raped her anally.
The sixth woman claimed that he demanded a massage from her while she was on a work assignment in 2009.
In a statement to police, Brand denied ever engaging in non-consensual sexual activity, calling any accounts "reinvented or imagined after a defamatory documentary."