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Russell Brand’s wife Laura Brand is giving evidence in support of her husband a day after he was in the witness box to defend himself against rape and sex assault charges.
The couple walked into Southwark Crown Court holding hands as the trial resumes today.
His wife’s evidence comes a day after Brand told jurors at his rape trial he has dedicated much of his life to “beyond reckless philandering and idiocy”, and admitted he had been wrong to use his fame to get sex.
The 51-year-old gave evidence for more than four hours at Southwark Crown Court, insisting that “consent is more important than sex itself” and issuing a string of denials to the charges he faces.
He is accused of raping women in a hotel room, at his home, and in a bar toilet, and other women have accused Brand of sexually assaulting them in a recording studio and a radio station corridor.
Brand's wife 'heartbroken' over split
Ms Brand told the jury she was “a little heartbroken” for a few months after their split but said they remained in contact over the years that followed, including after Brand’s marriage to Katy Perry ended.She got back together with the comedian in 2015 and they married in 2017, she told the court.
Asked for her view of her husband’s character, Ms Brand said: “Russell, my husband, is caring, he is kind, he is a wonderful father to our children.“He’s an amazingly attentive husband. He has got an eye for detail that I’ve never known before.
“The way that he treats me is to really know me, I feel very, very seen by him in many ways in a way I have never experienced really. I love him very much.”
She added: “We have a very, very honest, frank and clear relationship and marriage. One of the most important parts of our relationship has always been honesty.”
Brand's wife: It was difficult for him to be monogamous
Under questioning by Brand’s lawyer Ian Winter KC, she described their sexual relationship at the time as “very caring, totally at my pace”.
“I wasn’t experienced, I had only had one partner before Russell, I felt entirely cared for and looked after by Russell," she said.
“Did you become aware quite shortly thereafter that he was promiscuous and he was engaging in sexual activity with others?”, Mr Winter asked.
Ms Brand replied: “When I met him I was aware that he liked women and I was aware towards the latter part of that year that he was engaging with other people.”
She said she wasn’t interested in a relationship with him if he was sleeping with other people.
“It was difficult for him to be monogamous and we talked about it and I did find that difficult, yes,” she added.They broke up in February 2007, the court heard.
Laura Brand told the jury she had first met her husband when she was 19 and he was 31
Wearing a navy pinstripe suit and white blouse, with a brooch on her left lapel, Laura Brand told the jury she had first met Mr Brand in August 2006 when she was 19 and he was 31.
By the following month, they had started a relationship, but they broke up in February 2007 because he was sleeping with other people, she told the jury.
Brand laughs when wife tells jury they have 'many friends'
During his wife’s evidence, Russell Brand could be seen mouthing words in her direction when she told Southwark Crown Court about his baptism.
The entertainer has displayed little emotion during the course of his trial, but was seen smiling broadly during parts of his wife’s evidence.
He let out an audible laugh when she told the court: “We do have many friends and there are colleagues, and we are grateful for those people.”
Brand's wife praises 'attentive husband' with an 'eye for detail I've never known before'
Asked for her view of her husband’s character, Ms Gallacher said: “Russell, my husband, is caring, he is kind, he is a wonderful father to our children.
“He is amazingly attentive husband.
“He has got an eye for detail I’ve never known before.
“The way he treats me is to really know me, I feel very seen by him in every way.
“I love him very much.”
Brand's wife 'very aware' of his promiscuity
Laura Brand said they broke up in summer 2007 when she was “very aware” of Russell Brand’s promiscuity.
“I wasn’t interested in having a relationship with him if he was sleeping with other people.
“I was invested, we both had told each other we loved each other but it was clear it was difficult for him to be monogamous.”
She said they got back together again as a couple in 2015 and married in 2017.
Laura Brand: My husband is 'very caring'
Russell Brand’s wife, Laura Brand, told the jury her husband he was “very caring” and they always have sex “at my pace”.
Talking of when they began dating in 2007, Ms Gallacher said: “I was not experienced, I had only had one partner before Russell.
“I felt entirely cared for and looked after by Russell.”
She told jurors Brand “respected my view” if she said she did not want to do something.
Russell Brand's wife steps up to give evidence
Mr Brand’s wife of nine years, Laura, has been called by the defence to give evidence.
She’s holding a bible and and swears in front of the jury at Southwark Crown Court to tell nothing but the truth.
In four hours of tense evidence, Russell Brand told jurors he rose to ‘staggering fame’ but ‘misused’ it for sex
Striding into the witness box at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday, Russell Brand appeared tense and stiff.
Standing bolt upright, with his hands clasped tightly behind his back, he began his evidence by loudly denying the allegations against him, responding “no” as his lawyer Ian Winter KC put each accusation to him.
The comedian, wearing a dark suit, white shirt and artfully arranged necktie, told the jury that his notoriety had soared over the 10-year period of the alleged attacks and he had achieved “staggering fame” by the time he married Katy Perry the following year.
Over more than four hours of evidence, he blamed a 2023 documentary alleging sexual misconduct for the accusations he is now facing, insisting the “devastating” media coverage had left him unable to persuade a single person to give evidence on his behalf.