Russell Brand accuser tells court 'I couldn't fight back'

A woman accusing Russell Brand of rape told Southwark Crown Court on Thursday that she felt she "couldn't fight back" during an alleged hotel room encounter in 1999. Brand, 51, faces three charges of rape, indecent assault, and three counts of sexual assault, relating to allegations from six different women. He denies all charges.

The accuser stated she invited Brand to her hotel room after meeting him at a cabaret show at the 1999 Labour Party conference. She told the court she believed Brand was gay and did not anticipate any sexual advance. She described feeling unable to flee when he allegedly turned on her.

Court exchanges

During a cross-examination by Brand's barrister, Ian Winter KC, the woman said, "I know he raped me, I know I said ‘no, no, I don’t want this’." She told the court she struggled to breathe and insisted, "I did not want sex from him… I couldn’t fight back." She also stated, "I don’t love him, I don’t find him attractive. Never have."

The court heard that Brand allegedly told the woman "it's just fun" during the incident. The woman recounted inviting Brand to her hotel room to continue a conversation about political ideas, having initially seen him as an "intellectual person" and believing she was "sexually safe with him". She described him as having a "snake-like, disgusting" body and making her feel "nauseous".

Mr Winter suggested the woman "wanted a young man who you met for a short time to join you in a very small bedsit". She responded, "I thought he was a gay man, very softly spoken, very effeminate." She rejected the suggestion that she "fell under his spell", stating, "That’s not correct."

When questioned about whether she had verbally refused sex, the woman said she was "terrified" and questioned where she was supposed to go if she tried to leave. "Of course I wanted to distance myself but I had nowhere to run," she told the court.

At one point, the trial judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, had to intervene and tell Mr Winter to "shush" during a tense exchange. The barrister was questioning the alleged victim about her account of the hotel encounter. The judge's intervention came when Mr Winter and the judge spoke at the same time.

Concluding her testimony, the woman referenced Brand's recent media appearances discussing "shame and reputation", telling the court, "I am the one being silenced." She reiterated, "I can 100% tell you I did not consent, I did not find him attractive."

Trial continuation

The trial at Southwark Crown Court is ongoing. Russell Brand denies all allegations of sexual assault made by six different women.