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British comedian Russell Brand has been accused of sexual misconduct and predatory behavior by six new women after being jailed for rape and sexual assault.
The Times of London reported on the fresh allegations after first exposing Brand’s behavior in a 2023 investigation that inspired women to report their experiences to the police.
One of the alleged victims told The Times that Brand had sex with her without consent and then apologized afterwards. Another woman said Brand continued having sex with her, despite her telling the Despicable Me star that the intercourse was hurting. A third woman accused Brand of attempting to pull her into a lavatory in 2015, when the star was in a relationship with his wife, Laura Brand.
Brand, 51, has consistently denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty during his trial. He claimed that his behavior around women was “awful but lawful.” During his trial, Brand said: “Consent is fundamental, essential, necessary, and in many ways more important than the sex itself.”
One woman, identified as Alex by The Times, said Brand had sex with her without her consent when she was in her thirties. Alex was in a sexual relationship with Brand at the time, but alleged that the comedian had sex with her without a condom, despite her saying “no.”
“He was very close, on top of me, and sort of pushing — but I knew he didn’t have a condom on and I said, ‘No, stop’, and I started to sort of try and move. And … that wasn’t happening,” she said. Alex alleged that Brand apologized to her in person and by text message. “I justified it in my head by saying to myself: at least he admitted it,” she added.
A second woman said Brand hurt her during intercourse after meeting the star in 2007 at a comedy gig. She was 19 at the time. “My body wasn’t ready for this and it was painful”, she said. “An uneasy wave hits me and I’m scared. And I say, ‘It’s painful,’ and he doesn’t stop. And then it gets worse and it’s really painful. And I say ‘stop’ and he doesn’t stop.” She added: “It was just like he … just wasn’t present.”
Another woman, who worked at a London venue Brand visited in 2015, said a member of his staff told her that “Russell wants you” and said: “He’s in the disabled toilets”. She alleged that Brand attempted to grab her when he claimed to need toilet paper.
In sentencing remarks following Brand’s four-week trial, Mr Justice Bennathan described Brand as a “sexual predator.” He said his fame protected him until 2023, when Channel 4 and The Times of London published allegations about his conduct.
The Metropolitan Police said several people had made fresh criminal allegations about Brand during the trial. Officers are assessing the complaints.
