A woman testifying at Southwark crown court has described how comedian Russell Brand allegedly transformed into a “monster” during an encounter at the 1999 Labour party conference in Bournemouth. The 51-year-old performer, who faces seven charges including three counts of rape, three of sexual assault, and one of indecent assault spanning a decade, has pleaded not guilty to all allegations.
The complainant, who appeared from behind a screen to give evidence, told the court that she met Brand at a fringe cabaret event where he was performing. Although she did not find him attractive at the time and initially assumed he was gay, she noted that he was polite and intelligent during their conversation. The pair eventually returned to her hotel room to continue speaking.
According to the woman's testimony, she returned from the bathroom to find Brand partially undressed and moving in a manner she described as “prancing around like an ostrich.” She claimed he became “menacing” and “dark,” forcing her to take half-naked photographs of him. The woman told police that she felt “frightened” and “threatened” by his sudden change in persona, describing him as “arrogant” and “demanding” while he acted as if he were back on stage.
The witness alleged that Brand then raped her in an attack lasting approximately 10 minutes. Giving evidence from behind a screen in the afternoon, the woman added: “I was like a zombie on the bed. All I could think was he’s inside me and the quicker the better.” She described the assault as painful and stated that she felt “like a zombie” while unable to resist his weight. “I know he raped me, I know I said ‘no, no, I don’t want this’,” she told the court. She recalled that during the incident, Brand made noises of enjoyment and attempted to convince her that the encounter was “normal” and “fun.”
During a tense cross-examination, defence barrister Ian Winter KC suggested that the woman had fallen under the influence of Brand’s charisma. The witness firmly rejected this, maintaining that she was terrified and felt trapped. The woman told the court Brand was a “completely different persona” in the hotel room. When pressed further by the prosecutor, Riel Karmy-Jones, the woman said: “He just changed suddenly from camp, friendly and effeminate to monster-like.” Mr Justice Bennathan had to intervene during the questioning, instructing the barrister to allow him to speak. The woman stated that following the incident, Brand acted as though nothing had occurred, providing his email address and suggesting a meeting with his mother. She told the court: “He is so arrogant in his mindset that he’s God’s gift that I must’ve enjoyed it and I must’ve wanted more.”
The witness explained that she kept the experience to herself for years as she watched Brand’s career rise. She noted that her decision to approach the police was triggered by a 2023 Dispatches documentary concerning allegations of sexual misconduct against the comedian. The trial continues as Brand maintains his innocence regarding the allegations, which date from 1999 to 2009.
