World News
Prosecutor says Russell Brand accusers were haunted for years
Closing speech at Southwark Crown Court as Brand, 51, denies seven charges including three counts of rape.
The short version
- A prosecutor told jurors at Southwark Crown Court that some accusers have been haunted for years by what they allege.[BBC News]
- Russell Brand, 51, is on trial on seven charges, including three counts of rape, and denies them all.[BBC News]
- Brand told the jury the criminal case was deeply traumatic and blamed 2023 media reports for his public fall.[The Guardian]
Key facts
- Brand, 51, is on trial on seven charges, including three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault, which he denies.[The Guardian · BBC News]
- Prosecutor Reil Karmy-Jones KC told jurors on Friday that the women had nothing to gain beyond closure.[BBC News]
- The prosecution said some women have been haunted for years by what they allege Brand did to them.[BBC News]
- Defence counsel Polly Dyer told jurors Brand pleaded guilty and was fined in 1995 for cannabis possession, with no other convictions, cautions or warnings.[BBC News]
- Brand testified for four hours, describing the criminal case as profoundly disturbing and attributing his public downfall to 2023 media coverage.[The Guardian]
- Laura Brand told the court her husband was a kind and devoted father and an attentive husband.[The Guardian · BBC News]
What remains uncertain
- Brand denies all charges and no verdict has been reached, so the allegations remain disputed and unproven.[The Guardian · BBC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.