Warning - this report contains graphic content
One of six women alleging Russell Brand committed sexual offences has told a court that he "treated her like an animal", according to recorded police interviews played during his trial at Southwark Crown Court in London. The woman claims she did not consent to anal sex with the comedian at his house in 2009. According to BBC News, the jury has been hearing her detailed account of the alleged incident and subsequent contact with Brand.
The complainant stated that six months after the alleged assault, she received an unexpected text message from Brand saying he wanted to "push her further". When she asked why he was messaging her, she recalled his response: "Because you're dirty and I want to push you further." The woman did not reply immediately because she was upset, but eventually responded with the message: "I think you've pushed me far enough, you treated me like an animal." She told police that Brand's response came straight away, with him saying: "I'm sorry."
The woman said she first encountered Brand at one of his comedy performances at Hammersmith Apollo in 2009. Although she had a boyfriend at the time, she went to his dressing room where she performed a sex act on him. She stated that during their next meeting at his house, the sexual activity was not consensual, as she had only agreed to vaginal sex. The court heard that Brand made her shower and brush her teeth before they had sex. When asked by the detective whether anal sex had ever been discussed between them, she answered: "No."
Brand, 51, denies three charges of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one charge of indecent assault. At the trial's opening, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told jurors that the six complainants did not know one another and came forward independently, strengthening the prosecution's case that a pattern of behaviour existed. The allegations span a decade from 1999 to 2009 and involve six female complainants.
The scope of the charges reflects serious allegations across multiple years and settings. According to AFP, the prosecution said the youngest complainant was 21 at the time of the alleged offences, and Brand's acquaintance Mark Pinheiro testified that Brand once said he hoped to have slept with more than 5,000 women. The allegations include an alleged rape at a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth in 1999, an alleged assault at MTV's offices in 2001, and an alleged oral rape in a London bar in 2004.
Brand has maintained that he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity. His legal team challenged a witness's recollection of events from more than 25 years earlier during the trial's opening stages.
Background to the allegations
The allegations against Brand became public through a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches in 2023. A subsequent Metropolitan Police investigation led to charges being brought in 2025. This case represents a significant moment in addressing historical allegations against a high-profile public figure.
What happens next
The trial is expected to last six weeks, with the complainants due to give evidence during the proceedings. The jury will hear testimony from all six women making allegations, allowing them to assess the credibility and consistency of the accounts presented.
