The head of London’s Metropolitan Police has said he anticipates further complainants may come forward following the Russell Brand conviction for rape and sexual assault. Sir Mark Rowley also criticised the tone of the defence case, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that elements reported from the trial came close to victim blaming.
Brand Convicted on Four Counts
Brand, 51, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was cleared of two other rape charges and one allegation of attempted indecent assault. He has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on Monday, with the judge telling him to expect a significant custodial term.
During the trial, six women gave evidence about Brand’s behaviour between 1999 and 2009, when he became one of Britain’s most prominent entertainers. The court heard that he used his fame to pressure them into sexual activity. Brand denied the allegations.
Police Praise Women's Courage
Sir Mark said he would not be surprised if additional people approached police about Brand. He confirmed that two separate rape investigations into the comedian are ongoing and that Brand has already been interviewed under caution in connection with those complaints.
The Met commissioner commended the women who gave evidence for their bravery, acknowledging the difficulty of recounting such experiences. He stressed that while the case may appear unusual because of Brand’s celebrity, most sexual offending involves an abuse of power, and he sought to reassure victims that police would pursue those responsible regardless of their status.
Asked about the defence barrister’s remark to jurors that none of the complainants had resisted, screamed or tried to leave, Sir Mark said what he heard reported from the trial was very close to victim blaming. He also backed calls from the Victims’ Commissioner for a legal duty requiring judges to direct juries on rape myths and misconceptions in every rape trial, saying he would strongly support such a measure and that inaccurate statements should not be used to undermine a case because a victim did not react in a particular way.
Prime Minister Responds to Labour Links
Prime Minister Andy Burnham also addressed the case on Friday, attempting to explain the Labour Party’s past association with Brand. He said it is not always possible for people in public life to know everything about someone, adding that Brand’s crimes are horrific and that justice for the victims has been the correct course.
Burnham said he had no idea of the full extent of what Brand was doing or would go on to do. More than a decade ago, some in Labour sought Brand’s support before police began investigating him. Ed Miliband, then Labour leader, was interviewed by Brand ahead of the 2015 general election. In 2014, Burnham, then shadow health secretary, posted on social media in support of Brand after a newspaper report about the comedian’s housing arrangements. Burnham’s tweet said it was depressing to see a media mission to discredit someone who stops playing their game and urged Brand to keep going.
TV Producer Steps Back
Jack Bayles, a television producer who was part of Brand’s entourage in 2009, has been asked to step back from his role at production company Various Artists Ltd while it considers the verdict and events surrounding the trial. The company said its thoughts are primarily with every one of Brand’s victims.
One of the sexual assaults took place while Brand was working on a Channel 4 project. The victim told the court that Bayles and another staff member had asked her to give Brand a massage and said he would not continue unless she did. Shortly afterwards, Brand assaulted her. She complained to her manager, who told the trial through a statement that the victim described the men laughing during the attack.
In a statement, Bayles said he is appalled and sickened by Brand’s actions and cooperated fully with the investigation. He said he does not remember the incident from 17 years ago but acknowledged that he clearly missed something at the time and did not recognise the distress caused, for which he is sincerely sorry. He described the working environment as frantic, pressured and toxic, and said Brand was chaotic, dismissive and manipulated those around him, which is why he stopped working with him in 2010. Bayles added that no complaints about Brand’s behaviour were made to him during that time and that he would never wish to make anyone feel uncomfortable or unsupported at work.
