Russell Brand's barrister, Ian Winter KC, has reported himself to the Bar Standards Board after confronting a journalist outside Southwark Crown Court, shortly after the comedian was found guilty of rape. Winter KC shouted at Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin, who was instrumental in the investigation that led to Brand's conviction.
Winter KC told Urwin, "Well, it wasn't. You f***ed it. Congratulations," after she stated, "I'm pleased justice has been done." The exchange occurred in front of other journalists and was first reported by the Daily Mail.
Brand was convicted of raping a fan and sexually assaulting three women. He was acquitted of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault, having denied all charges. He is awaiting sentencing and has been advised to expect a lengthy custodial sentence.
In a statement, Winter KC said his professional duty required him to self-report the incident for "proper scrutiny." He added, "I have made such a report."
Brand's defense team had previously attempted to have the case dismissed, arguing that the comedian had already been "destroyed" in a "trial by media." The judge, however, rejected this, noting that Brand continued to perform sold-out shows after the allegations became public and that jurors could be found who had not seen the coverage.
Ben Taylor, editor of The Sunday Times, described Winter's behavior as "quite extraordinary" and "reprehensible," stating that by impugning Urwin's integrity, the barrister was also challenging the integrity of the court's verdict. Urwin, now chief news correspondent at The Sunday Times, was the media editor when she, along with other journalists, published an exposé on Brand in September 2023, leading to the Metropolitan Police investigation and subsequent charges in April 2025.