Woman alleges Russell Brand raped her in 1999 hotel encounter

A woman told jurors at Southwark Crown Court that Russell Brand raped her in a Bournemouth hotel room in 1999, alleging that he asked her to take photographs of him in his underwear shortly before the attack. Brand has pleaded not guilty to seven charges involving six women and says he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity. The woman’s recorded 2023 police interview was played to the jury on October 15, as she also answered questions under cross-examination. She said she had met Brand at a cabaret event on the fringes of the Labour Party conference and invited him to her hotel room to continue a conversation. She described him as polite and said she did not initially feel threatened by him. In the interview, she said she returned from the bathroom to find Brand wearing briefs and behaving playfully. She alleged he told her to take photographs of him, and jurors were shown images she took. The woman said she became frightened as she complied, then Brand pushed her onto the bed and removed her trousers and underwear. She told police she said no, could not fight back and felt unable to escape. During cross-examination, Brand’s barrister, Ian Winter KC, challenged...