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Russell Brand has arrived at court, as jurors are set to hear a second day of evidence in his rape trial.
The comedian said he was feeling “most blessed” as he arrived at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday morning.
Brand is on trial after pleading not guilty to three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one allegation of indecent assault, after being accused by six women over alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009.
The court heard on the first day of his trial that Brand apologised to a woman who told him he had treated her “like an animal”.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC said Brand was a “manipulative” predator and would act as if nothing was wrong after he used women to satisfy his “voracious” sexual appetite.
A woman who had met him at a London show in 2009 was invited to his address in Hampstead, Ms Karmy-Jones said. During intercourse, “without warning, without asking, and without her consent” Brand penetrated her anally, jurors were told.
During a chance encounter later, the woman said she messaged Brand: “Why are you even messaging me?”, and he replied: “Because you’re dirty, and I wanna push you further.”
The court heard that she said she replied: “I think you pushed me far enough – you treated me like an animal,” and she said Brand replied: “I’m sorry.”
Brand carries bible study book into court
Russell Brand arrived for his trial at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday carrying a bible study book.
The book, Praying the Names of God for 52 Weeks by US author Ann Spangler, describes itself as a “unique bible study”, which helps readers: “explore the most important of God’s names and titles as they are revealed in the Bible”.
Brand says he is feeling 'most blessed' as he arrives at court
Russell Brand said he was feeling “most blessed” as he arrived at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday morning.
Brand is on trial after pleading not guilty to three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one allegation of indecent assault, after being accused by six women over alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009.
What is happening on Thursday
The trial continues at Southwark Crown Court for the second day of evidence in Russell Brand’s trial for alleged rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.
The hearing is scheduled to start from 10am.
We will be covering the case from inside the courtroom, with updates to appear below.
The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.
Brand 'pushed woman against wall to kiss her aggressively and no one tried to stop him'
A radio station worker said she was left feeling “dirty and disgusting” after Brand kissed and groped her as colleagues looked on, pushing her up against a wall.
He kissed her “sloppily and aggressively” then sniggered, the court heard.
Ms Karmy-Jones told the jury: “These women meant nothing to him and perhaps he found their protestations funny? Funny as a display for his friends. The other men who were with him also joined in the laughter.”
The woman was shocked afterwards at what had just happened, the prosecutor said.
“She was in complete disbelief that not one of the people with Brand had tried to help her or to stop it.”
A woman who worked at MTV also alleged Brand once tried to drag her into a toilet cubicle in the early 2000s.
Star was ruthless, calculating and manipulative, jurors told
Russell Brand bragged to friends he wanted to bed 5,000 women in his lifetime on the way to a Labour Party conference, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones said during the first day of the trial.
“He could be nice when he wanted to be – funny, undoubtedly; charming, likeable even – when he wanted something in return. But then demanding, entitled, a flirt with a huge sexual appetite – childlike in his expectation that his every desire should be met,” the prosecutor said.
“He was ruthless, he was calculated, and he was manipulative, and the prosecution say – a sexual predator.”
'It didn't matter to Brand if the women said no,' prosecutor says
Opening the case against Russell Brand, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones said the claims facing him happened as “his public profile was taking off” and he progressed from a stand-up comedian to a TV presenter and, later, a Hollywood movie star.
“Some of the women involved protested and said no, others had no opportunity to react to his advances, but it mattered not to the defendant,” she said, adding the alleged offences took place in a number of locations, including a hotel room and a toilet cubicle,” she told the court.
“Regardless of who they were and what they said or did, the defendant was not deterred. His desire for some form of sexual contact was indiscriminate and voracious.”
