Russell Brand accusers 'haunted' for years by alleged crimes, court hears

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Some of the women in Russell Brand’s rape and sexual assault case have been “haunted” for years by what they allege he did to them, jurors have been told.

In her closing speech at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Friday, prosecutor Reil Karmy-Jones KC said the women had “nothing to gain” from coming forward apart from “some closure”.

Speaking for the defence, Polly Dyer told jurors Brand had pleaded guilty and been fined over possession of cannabis in 1995, but had no other “convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings”.

Brand, 51, is on trial facing seven charges; three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one allegation of attempted indecent assault. He denies the charges.

Karmy-Jones KC told the court that this case brings together six different women, none of whom knows each other.

She said that while all the alleged victims have since moved on with their lives, due to this trial they have been forced to “relive what has happened to them”.

None of the women involved has “sought the limelight” or “any kind of publicity”, she said, adding there was “no benefit to them from perhaps some closure.”

Referring to Brand’s accuser’s evidence the prosecutor said “how many said he was nice and then there was a like a personality change…

“His eyes changed, he snapped, from charming to frightening to nasty,” Karmy-Jones KC said.

She added that the complainant’s evidence had been that “he didn’t listen when I said no, he didn’t stop, he didn’t care, pulling pushing… thrusting”.

“In the rape cases, he kept on going until he achieved his ultimate aim.”

The prosecutor also dismissed the idea that a documentary had caused the women to “re-invent” what actually happened.

“There is no magic force in this documentary”, she added.

“What in fact happened was these women have realised they are not alone and have bravely come before you to tell the truth.”

She added: “Truth they have lived with, which in some cases has haunted them for years.”

She told the jury: “The experience of people raped may be something that looms a little bit larger in your mind rather than the intricacies of the outfit.

“The defendant couldn’t really remember anything when he was interviewed, in stark contrast to now when he suddenly seems to remember all sorts of details about the week.”

Addressing Brand’s presented change in character, Karmy-Jones KC told the court “He may now be a completely different person to the man he was between 1999 and 2009.”

She added: “He may well look back and not find some of his jokes funny”.

“He may now treat women with kindness and consent”.

Brand’s wife Laura gave evidence yesterday, when she told the court her husband was a “kind and a wonderful father”.

Karmy-Jones KC called her Russell Brand’s “undoubtedly lovely wife”, who “bravely” gave evidence.

However, she also noted that she was not with him at the time many of the alleged acts are said to have taken place.

“The reality is she wasn’t there then, for the first five counts, she wasn’t with him, nor was she with him for the final two counts.”

“Any contact was, I believe, sparse.”

In the final set of agreed facts in his trial, the court heard from Dyer about Brand’s fine after he “pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing cannabis on 20 April 1995”.

“He received a fine. He has no other convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings”, she said.

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