Woman says she was left 'bewildered and confused' by alleged Russell Brand assault

A woman told jurors on Friday that she met Russell Brand in 2001 while working at MTV and described feeling “bewildered and confused” after an alleged incident in a bathroom. She said she recognised him immediately and noted there was initial “banter” between them. After seeing his “distinctive T‑shirt” bearing the words “I am Spartacus,” she told Brand she “loved it” and wanted it. He replied, “you tin person it,” to which she answered, “Make definite it gets a bully lavation first.” Brand then asked her for directions to the bathroom. The complainant, who was in her thirties at the time, said she offered to show him the way because she was heading in the same direction. Prosecutor Riel Karmy‑Jones KC inquired what happened next. She stated his “demeanour changed” when they reached the bathroom door. “He grabbed my forearm, helium was leaning into the doorway and helium was rather forceful,” she said, adding that it took her “unaware.” When asked by the judge what she meant by his demeanour changing, the witness replied, “He grabbed maine by the arm, started to propulsion maine in.” She said Brand then told her “come on” while still holding her forearm. As Brand tried to pull her into the bathroom, she attempted to pull herself away. “I said to him, 'What are you doing, are you mad, fto maine go'... and past helium started to... plead almost,” she recounted. She told the court she managed to “wrench” herself from Brand’s grip because of her own strength. She described Brand’s shift from “jovial, affable, affable to abruptly turning into this wild-eyed manic truthful I was rather confused this was happening, arsenic anyone would be.” The judge questioned why she had not reported the incident to her employer. She answered, “I was scared... I thought it would beryllium my connection against his.” She added that she had told two of her colleagues about the encounter. Jurors learned she reported the allegation to police in 2023 after viewing a Channel 4 documentary about Brand. “I thought it was the close happening to bash to travel forward,” she told the court. Brand’s barrister, Ian Winter KC, challenged her on the delay in reporting. “You didn't deliberation determination was immoderate request to study him,” he said. She responded, “It would person been my connection against his,” she replied. “He didn't negociate to rape me. I managed to get retired of the situation.” The defence barrister remarked, “It was lone aft you saw the tv programme that you deliberation helium was trying to rape you successful the toilet.” The woman countered, “Why other would you resistance idiosyncratic into the toilet if you weren't going to battle them.” Winter KC pressed further, “Twenty‑two years earlier that, you hadn't thought helium was trying to get you successful determination to rape you...” She denied this, stating, “You don't drawback idiosyncratic by the arm. You don't grip idiosyncratic and effort to resistance them in, that's not consensual.” Read the full story at BBC News →