Russell Brand Faces Rape Trial Opening, Accused of Predatory Behavior
The actor and comedian appeared in a London court for the start of his trial on charges including rape and sexual assault.
Russell Brand acknowledged being "concerned" as he arrived at a UK court for the opening of his rape trial, where he was promptly described as a "ruthless, sexual, predator." The 51-year-old actor faces charges of three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault, stemming from alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009. Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Brand was seen smiling as he entered Southwark Crown Court in London, accompanied by his wife, Laura Gallacher. "I feel blessed — I feel of course concerned, but hopeful that this process will lead to good outcomes for everybody — that is my prayer," he told reporters, according to the BBC.
During the trial's opening, jurors were told that Brand's "desire for some form of sexual contact was indiscriminate and voracious." Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones stated, "He could be nice when he wanted to be — funny, undoubtedly; charming, likeable even — when he wanted something in return. But then demanding, entitled, a flirt with a huge sexual appetite - child-like in his expectation that his every desire should be met." Karmy-Jones further characterized Brand as "ruthless, he was calculated, and he was manipulative, and the prosecution say – a sexual predator. To [Brand], women were simply a means to an end."