Woman says she 'closed eyes and tried not to be there' during alleged Russell Brand rape
A complainant in the Russell Brand rape trial testified about the alleged assault, describing how she felt unable to report the incident at the time due to the 'lad culture' of the 2000s. Brand has pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including rape and sexual assault, spanning a decade.
Why it matters
The trial is a high-profile case examining historical sexual assault allegations against a celebrity and the cultural barriers to reporting such crimes.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Russell Brand arrives at court on Monday morning
Warning - this report contains graphic content
A woman who alleges she was raped by Russell Brand at a bar told the police "I just closed my eyes and tried not to be there" while the attack was taking place.
In a 2023 video interview with an officer shown to the jury at his trial, the woman said she had been speaking to Brand about him hosting the Channel 4 show Big Brother's Big Mouth when he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
Brand, 51, has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges in the trial - three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one of indecent assault.
The allegations, made by six female complainants, span a 10-year period between 1999 and 2009.
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