Key events<\/p>\n
The prosecution cited remarks made by Brand\u2019s friends during the early years of his career, including one who described the comedian as someone who \u201cwas rampant in his desire to have sex\u201d.<\/p>\n
Another friend, speaking about Brand before he found fame, described him as \u201cvery impulsive. His impulsivity led him to be very single-minded, and women and sex were a goal and an obsession\u201d, Karmy-Jones told the court.<\/p>\n
She told jurors that these comments would provide an insight into what Brand was like in his former years.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cThis is important because what you must bear in mind in this case is that, although you\u2019re sat as jurors in Southwark crown court on October 14 2026 listening to my opening address, you will be considering offences that took place between around 27 and 17 years ago, when the defendant was aged roughly between 24-33.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the man who you will be considering in this trial is not the Mr Brand who is sitting in the dock, who is now 51.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added that while Brand may have changed both physically and as a person in the years since that \u201chis responsibility for wrongs done, crimes committed at a younger age remain the same\u201d.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a>Brand was ‘ruthless, calculated and manipulative,’ court hears<\/p>\n Karmy-Jones said the allegations \u201cpunctuate\u201d 10 years of Brand\u2019s life when \u201chis career was beginning to flourish\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cHis public profile was taking off as he was progressing from doing gigs as a stand-up comedian at pubs and clubs to a TV presenter, an actor, and Hollywood movie star,\u201d she told jurors.<\/p>\n She added that the circumstances of the alleged offences were \u201cas wide and as varied as the defendant\u2019s career\u201d, and that the offending took place in a number of locations including a hotel room, workplaces, a toilet cubicle in a bar and at his home address.<\/p>\n Continuing her opening statement, Karmy-Jones said:<\/p>\n double quotation markSome of the women involved protested and said no, others had no opportunity to react to his advances but it mattered not to the defendant.<\/p>\n Regardless of who they were and what they said or did, Russell Brand was not deterred.<\/p>\n His desire, strong desire for some form of sexual contact was indiscriminate and voracious. He would be nice when he wanted to be, funny \u2013 undoubtedly \u2013 charming, likeable even \u2013 when he wanted something in return \u2013 but then demanding, entitled, a flirt with a huge sexual appetite \u2013 childlike in his expectation that his every desire should be met.<\/p>\n He was ruthless, calculated and manipulative, and the prosecution say \u2013 a sexual predator.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Prosecution outlines charges against Russell Brand as trial begins<\/p>\n Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones has begun proceedings by outlining the charges against Russell Brand to the court.<\/p>\n She told jurors:<\/p>\n double quotation markRussell Brand, as you may know, and if you didn\u2019t know before this trial, is a celebrity.<\/p>\n He was born on June 4 1975 making him now 51 years old.<\/p>\n He is here as he has been charged with a number of sexual offences including rape and sexual assault as you heard, those offences were committed against six different women between approximately 1999 and 2009.<\/p>\n Six different women, six women who did not know each other then and do not know each other now, who have never met each other, and who came forward independently of each other.<\/p>\n Their paths all crossed the defendant\u2019s either through their employment, social events or through attending gigs where he was performing.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Brand was driven to the court in a black Mercedes-Benz van, which parked directly outside the court building, where crowds of reporters and photographers had gathered for his trial.<\/p>\n Brand waited inside the vehicle for around a minute before stepping out, wearing a dark suit, a black-and-white striped shirt, a long white tie and sunglasses. He reached out for his wife\u2019s hand before the pair walked together towards the court.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.23 EDT<\/p>\n Brand arrives at court Russell Brand spoke to the media as he arrived at court this morning, saying he was feeling \u201cconcerned but hopeful\u201d.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cToday I feel blessed, I feel of course concerned but hopeful that this process will lead to good outcomes for everybody involved.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s my prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Emine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Emine_Sinmaz_v2.png\")
Emine Sinmaz<\/p>\n