LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) – The jury in the trial of British comedian and actor Russell Brand, who is accused of a string of historical sex offences, began their deliberations on Tuesday.
Brand, once a regular figure on British television and star of a number of Hollywood movies, is accused of three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and an attempted indecent assault involving six women between 1999 and 2009.
The 51-year-old former husband of US singer Katy Perry denies all the allegations, giving evidence last week that he had previously dedicated his life to reckless philandering and idiocy but said consent was always non-negotiable.
Prosecutors told the jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court as Brand’s trial began last month that he was a ruthless “sexual predator” who attacked the six women as he rose from stand-up comedy to being one of Britain’s most high-profile figures.
All six of the complainants came forward to police after a documentary was broadcast in 2023, alongside newspaper articles, in which other women who are not involved in the trial made anonymous allegations.
Last week, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones said in her closing speech that the six women “realised they are not alone” after the documentary came out.
Brand’s lawyer Ian Winter, however, said that the allegations in the documentary had “poisoned the well” and made the complainants reimagine or invent consensual encounters.
Judge Joel Bennathan finished summing up the evidence and sent the jury out to begin their deliberations at just before 1450 GMT on Tuesday afternoon.
(Reporting by Sam TobinEditing by Ros Russell)
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