Russell Brand told a London jury Wednesday that he denies every charge against him, and said the allegations have taken a heavy toll on his family. His wife, Laura Gallacher, accompanied him to court. Brand, 51, took the oath at Southwark Crown Court and answered “no” when his lawyer, Ian Winter KC, asked whether he was guilty of each count, according to the Associated Press. He faces seven charges, including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault, involving six women over a period from 1999 to 2009. He has pleaded not guilty throughout. Gallacher, 38, an author and illustrator, entered court beside him. Brand told reporters outside that “today is the day for truth and justice.”
On the stand, Brand acknowledged being obsessed with sex as a younger man. He said the case has been “devastating” to his life and that dealing with it came “at the expense of my marriage, my children and health.” He also told the court that no one with relevant information had agreed to testify for the defense, Variety reported.
Winter began by questioning him on the first allegation, which concerns a woman who says Brand raped her after the 1999 Labour Party conference. Prosecutors have spent the first two weeks of the trial presenting their case, and the jury has heard from all six complainants. Winter has argued in cross-examination that encounters were consensual or less serious than described.
Gallacher has attended most days. She and Brand married in 2017 and have three children. She did not appear on one Thursday during the first week, Variety noted, and she has stayed silent publicly on the case. Her sister, Kirsty Gallacher, is a radio presenter and former Sky Sports host. The couple have lived in Florida in recent years, where Brand has built a large online following with wellness and religious content.
The prosecution’s evidence has been disturbing. One complainant described Brand as a “wild-eyed maniac” during an alleged incident at a television studio in 2001. The defense maintains that it was a consensual encounter. The trial began Oct. 12 and is expected to last up to two months. Brand remains on bail. Cross-examination by the prosecution is the next phase, and a verdict is likely weeks away.
