Actor and comedian Russell Brand is denying allegations of rape, sexual assault, harassment
Four women have accused actor and comedian Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault or harassment. He is denying it. This is what they had to say.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
Four women have accused actor, comedian and commentator Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault or sexual harassment.
The 48-year-old got ahead of the claims, taking to YouTube to vehemently deny the “very serious criminal allegations” against him.
Brand – who has two children with his wife Laura Gallacher, and a third one on the way – stated that, while he had been promiscuous in the past, all sexual encounters he had were consensual.
He added that the allegations were part of a “co-ordinated attack” by the media and claimed he had witnesses whose evidence “directly contradicts the narrative”.
The claims were made in a joint investigation by UK newspaper the Sunday Times and Channel Four current affairs program Dispatches.
The women’s shocking claims span a seven-year period, from 2006 to 2013, when Brand was at the height of his fame, working for BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4, as well as starring in many Hollywood films.
All of the women’s real names have been withheld to protect their identities.
Russell Brand has not been criminally charged and there is currently no suggestion that police are investigating the allegations.
Alice’s claims
One of Brand’s accusers, known only as ‘Alice’, claimed she was just 16 when she was swept into a three month “emotionally abusive and controlling” relationship with the then 31-year-old back in 2006.
She alleges that he took her virginity and was “preoccupied” with the idea of her being “innocent and pure” – often referring to her as ‘The Child’
Alice has also alleged that Brand even once forced her to have oral sex with him, despite her repeatedly refusing.
She claims that Brand would often help her craft lies to deceive her parents, and encouraged her to hide their relationship from her friends.
She also alleges that he once sent a taxi to her school to collect her, and bring her to his house.
The woman claimed that he once “kissed her mother” in front of her, and on a separate occasion, she alleges that he “forced his penis” down her throat and “made her choke”.
She claims that he only stopped what he was doing after she “punched him in the stomach”.
“I was sat up in the bed, up against the headboard, and he forced his penis down my throat and I couldn’t breathe,” she told the investigation.
“I was pushing him away and he wasn’t backing off at all.”
In response, she claims he told her that he “wanted to see her mascara run” before forcing her mouth open and drooling into it.
She also claimed that he invited her to his 31st birthday party, and when her mother dropped her off at his house, Brand allegedly kissed her mother.
Despite her mum’s apparent disdain for him and her wanting Alice to leave the party, the teen decided to stay
Alice says she met Russell Brand in early 2006, when she was clothes shopping in London’s famous Oxford Circus in Leicester Square.
He had apparently been working in a nearby studio.
She claims he went through her purchases and pulled out a red dress, telling her that she was “going to wear this on our date this week”.
Alice said that the pair went out to dinner, and although she had dressed up for the occasion, she “did not look like a woman by any means”.
She told investigation that Brand had asked her to confirm that she was at least 16 on the date, and that he had said “I don’t give a f**k if you’re 12 … I need to know where I stand legally”.
Alice claims that Brand made her feel “giddy and special” at the start of their relationship, however she added that it was clear he was aroused by her young age and the fact that she was a virgin.
She also alleged that he would call her “baby” while cradling her in his arms like a child and stroke her hair, even claiming that he would tell her she was like his “little dolly”.
Alice claimed that during sex with Brand, he assumed a “power stance” that left her feeling like he believed he was “conquering something”.
She says that her relationship with Brand only came to an end when she found him in bed with another woman.
Nadia’s claims
A woman known only as ‘Nadia’ has accused Russell Brand of raping her in his Los Angeles home back in 2012.
The woman, who was in her 30s at the time, told the investigation that she had exchanged numbers with him at a party, before being invited to his house in June 2012 where they went on to have consensual sex.
Nadia said that this encounter was “weird”, with Brand seeming to have a “glazed-over look”.
The businesswoman claims she met up with him again on the morning of July 1st, 2012, during which she alleges the comedian raped her against a wall after she told him multiple times to “get off”.
Upon arriving at his house, she claims the door was unlocked and she walked straight in.
“He comes running out of the bedroom naked and I’m kind of taken aback,” she told the investigation.
“I’ve got a bag on my shoulder, a little dress, and a coat on top.”
Nadia alleges that Brand pushed her against a wall and kissed her, before telling her that “a friend” was waiting in his bedroom to join them.
She claims that after telling him she did not want to do that, she tried to get away from him.
“I slipped from the wall, and I went to another wall that had a painting on it a huge painting,” she said.
“And my bag actually got stuck underneath that, and it’s still on my arm. At this point, he’s grabbing at my underwear, pulling it to the side.
“I’m stuck underneath the painting and he’s pushing up against me. He’s a lot taller than me, and has that glazed look in his eyes again.
“I told him ‘get off, get off’”.
Nadia claims that Brand then raped her without a condom.
Once he had finished, she claims she pushed him away and ran over to the door, but Brand had “blocked” the doorway to stop her from leaving and told her to “calm down”.
She alleges that he eventually moved out of the way when she asked to go to the bathroom.
“I ran out and I jumped in my car, thank god I didn’t park in his driveway, and just booked it out of there,” she told the investigation.
“That was it. I sat on the road a little bit longer, I was in a daze.”
Text messages from a phone number The Times say was Brand’s allegedly show that he messaged her that same morning at 3:29am saying “I’m sorry that was crazy and selfish. I hope you can forgive me, I know that you’re a lovely person. X.”
He reportedly then tried to call her at 3:51am, but Nadia did not answer.
She claims to have replied to his text at 10:59am, telling her that he had “scared the s**t” out of her, and added that “when a girl says NO it means no”.
She claims to have asked him if she had to get tested, to which he apologised and told her that she did not.
Brand allegedly “promised to make it up to her” and told her he was “embarrassed” by his behaviour.
The Times said that the number used to send the texts has been “verified by multiple sources”.
Nadia reportedly went to a rape treatment centre that same day, and went on to have therapy at the clinic for five months, according to documents seen by The Times.
Phoebe’s claims
Another one of Brand’s accusers, known as ‘Phoebe’, claims that he sexually assaulted her while he was working in the United States.
She told the investigation that she had met him at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, before the pair worked together on a project at several locations, including his West Hollywood home.
Their friendship turned into a “brief” sexual relationship, she claimed, which was over by the time of the alleged attack in 2013.
Phoebe told the paper that she and Brand were alone at his home after a member of staff had left.
She said she felt “trapped” in the room with him, after realising that he wanted to have sex with her.
Phoebe, who was in her 20s at the time, said she was not sure if he was naked or wearing underwear, but claims he was eventually “chasing her while naked”.
She claimed that Brand “grabbed” her, got her on the bed and tried to kiss her, before taking her clothes off and pinning her down.
The woman, who says she was fully clothed, said that his “eyes looked black, like the devil”.
She claims to have screamed at him to stop while she believed his hands were in her trousers as she was fighting him off.
Phoebe said at the time, she did not know what the “actual definition of sexual assault was” but said that “that is what it felt like”, before adding that “Brand didn’t rape me”.
She claims that he eventually got off her, after pleading with him to do so, but that he became very angry with her – allegedly telling her that she was “fired” as she ran from the house, crying.
She says she never reported the incident due to concerns over her career.
Three sources reportedly confirmed to The Times that Phoebe had told them about the allegation at the time, and that two other people knew about it.
Rachel’s claims
Another woman, known as ‘Rachel’, claimed that she worked with Brand when he was presenting a Big Brother spin-off show called EForum, later known as Big Brother’s Big Mouth.
She was 24 at the time, and claimed that he had “flashed his penis” at her when she walked into his dressing room.
Rachel alleged that he had “insinuated” that she could perform oral sex on him.
Despite her rejection of him, she says that he continued to pursue her.
She told the investigation that after the incident, he invited her to his home, where they kissed and had sex, before later starting a “secret relationship”.
Phoebe claims that Brand told her he was forbidden from having sexual contact with “anyone working on Big Brother”.
Television company Endemol reportedly told the investigation that they had reviewed his contract and no such clause existed.
Russell Brand has denied all allegations against him.
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