'I felt like I couldn’t speak or breathe', says woman who accuses Russell Brand of rape | Episode 6

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of alleged rape and sexual assault as described in court.Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report the defence’s closing speech from the trial of Russell Brand.Brand’s lawyer, Ian Winter KC, told the court that journalists had 'poisoned the well of justice' in the case by prompting the women to come forward, following a Channel 4 documentary and stories in the Times and Sunday Times that made allegations about Brand in 2023.He said there is 'no evidence [Brand] is some kind of psychopath who rapes people and thinks it's normal', adding: 'The fact he behaved normally during and after all of those rapes tells you what you need to know. He believed they were all consenting.'Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast: [email protected].

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of alleged rape and sexual assault as described in court.Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report the prosecution’s closing speech from the trial of Russell Brand.Riel Karmy-Jones KC for the prosecution said none of the complainants has ‘sought the limelight’ or ‘any kind of publicity’. She said there is no benefit to them except perhaps some closure.While reminding jurors of the complainants’ experiences, Karmy-Jones said that ‘women as a whole were disposable’ to Brand; ‘they didn't matter, he didn't even need to know their names.’The judge also confirmed to the group of 12 jurors - made up of eight men and four women - that he can only accept a unanimous verdict.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast: [email protected].

Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report the case for the defence of Russell Brand, as his wife, Laura Brand, enters the witness box.The comedian’s wife was called as a character witness and told the court that he is an ‘amazingly attentive’ husband and that she feels ‘very seen by him’.The prosecution challenged her account that she and Brand ‘hung out lots’ between 2007 and 2015. Laura Brand said she was ‘wrong’.The court also heard from two ex-girlfriends who gave written statements.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast: [email protected].

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of alleged rape and sexual assault.Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report the case for the defence of Russell Brand, as he takes the stand for the very first time.In court, Brand denied all the charges against him. He explained that the impact of the 2023 Channel 4 documentary containing allegations was ‘devastating’ and when his lawyer asked if anyone ‘would touch him with a bargepole’, Brand said: ‘No.’He said that ‘consent is fundamental, essential and necessary, and in many ways more important than sex itself.’The prosecution accused Brand of 'forging' his account around evidence.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast: [email protected].

This episode contains details about allegations of rape as they have been described in courtSky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report more of the prosecution case against Russell Brand, as his statements to the police are revealed for the first time."I led a very promiscuous life, which I have spent years denouncing", he told them in a 2023 written statement. In another statement in 2025, he told them that he had sexual encounters in "countless" locations and scenarios, but added that he has "never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity".The judge also today changed the indecent assault charge against Brand to attempted indecent assault, due to insufficient evidence.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast: [email protected].

There's some explicit discussion of the legal definition of rape and sexual assault in this episode.Sky News' Martin Brunt reports on more of the prosecution case against Russell Brand, as more witnesses give statements.The court heard a read statement from Helen Berger, Russell Brand's former PA, who described what she calls Brand's "insane sexual appetite" and said he was "sleeping with people day and night". She said she had never witnessed him doing anything against the law.Katie is away so Martin is joined by Wendy Joseph, a former judge at the Old Bailey, to talk about how courts deal with rape trials.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast: [email protected].

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of alleged rape and sexual assault.Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report more of the prosecution case against Russell Brand, as the family and friends of a woman who accuses him of rape in 2009 give evidence.The woman claims she was anally raped by the comedian at his home. Her friends, family and colleagues have given their accounts of what she’d told them - including that she’d been "humiliated, scared, violated and in pain" after the alleged rape.The defence cross-examined witnesses including the ex-boyfriend of the accuser, who they claimed had given conflicting statements to the police and the court.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast: [email protected].

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of alleged rape and sexual assault.Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report more of the case against Russell Brand as a third woman who has accused him of rape continues giving evidence and is cross-examined.The woman alleges she had consensual vaginal sex with Russell Brand at his home, before he anally raped her. She said, ‘I felt completely degraded and like I'd been treated like an animal, like a piece of meat’.During cross-examination Ian Winter KC, for the defence, brought up conflicting accounts in her story as she shared it over the years.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast: [email protected].

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of alleged rape and sexual assault.Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report more of the prosecution case against Russell Brand as a third woman accuses him of rape and two more women allege he sexually assaulted them.One woman claims she was anally raped by the comedian at his home. She said that when she asked him to stop, he continued and she said she was in pain and couldn't speak or breathe.The court also heard from two more women who allege that Brand sexually assaulted them, both in their workplaces.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast [email protected].

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of alleged rape and sexual assault.Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report more from the prosecution case against Russell Brand as a second woman accuses him of rape.She alleged that within a minute of meeting her in 2004, Russell Brand grabbed her breasts, then dragged her into a Soho bar toilet and orally raped her, afterwards saying “I guess we should swap numbers now”.Brand’s defence barrister questioned why she did not report the allegation until 2023. The woman said she was afraid she would not be believed.Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He denies all the charges.Email the podcast [email protected]