Russell Brand’s wife, Laura Gallacher, shook her head as she sat in the public gallery of her husband’s sentencing, as the first impact statement of one of his victims was read out
Russell Brand’s wife, Laura, was seen shaking her head as victim’s impact statements were read out in court ahead of her husband’s sentencing.
Today, disgraced comedian Brand will be handed a custodial sentence after being found guilty of raping a fan in 2009 and sexually assaulting three other women over the course of five years.
Brand’s wife, Laura, whom he married in 2017 and his father, Ron, turned out to support him at Southwark Crown Court today.
The hearing began with harrowing impact statements from Brand’s victims.
One said she was left in ‘shock and turmoil’ and lost ‘respect for herself.’ Another described Brand as a ‘sexual predator with no remorse.’ The woman who Brand raped in 2009 said she feared she had contracted HIV from him and has been ‘living with trauma’ ever since her ordeal.
Brand’s author wife Laura was seen shaking her head as the messages were read out.
She has chosen to stand by her husband and supported him every day of his trial, only leaving early on the day he was found guilty.
Laura appeared on the verge of tears as her husband’s barrister Ian Winter KC told the court he had spoken to her this morning and added that words cannot describe “the total devastation she is experiencing”.
Mr Winter added: “Mr and Mrs Brand are wrestling with how to explain to a child who has just turned ten what has happened here”.
Their reunion in court today is the first time Brand and Laura have seen each other since last Thursday. Mr Justice Bennathan refused to grant Brand bail, and he was immediately remanded in custody at HMP Wandsworth. Brand had faced seven charges in total: three of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. He was acquitted of raping a woman at a hotel in Bournemouth in 1999, during the Labour Party conference at which Brand had been performing at a cabaret show.
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The impact statement was shared by a woman whom Brand sexually assaulted at a London bar in 2004. She delivered her impact statement in court, but from behind a protective curtain.
She told the court: “I wanted to express how this crime has affected me over the years. When it happened, I was in complete shock and turmoil for weeks, trying to process what had happened to me.
“I was extremely upset and traumatised. It really affected how I viewed myself, I didn’t have any respect for myself and got into situations with toxic men as I didn’t have any self-worth. I literally lost any love for myself for a long time thinking that I was damaged goods.”
She went on to say that it was “impossible” to escape Brand in the media, adding: “[him] being celebrated for his disgusting behaviour against women like it was all a joke. There were many times I felt visibly sick at the sight of him parading around think he can get away with anything.
“Over the years I tried not to think about it and get on with my life – I had a beautiful daughter who helped me to heal and learn to love myself again and to try and be the best mum in the world for her.” The victim told the court she was in “complete shock and turmoil” for several weeks after being attacked by Brand.
She added: “I was extremely upset and traumatised; it really affected how I view myself. I didn’t have any respect for myself and got into toxic situations with men as I didn’t have any self-worth. I felt vulnerable when I was going out for the evening for a long time after it happened, scared of given any signal could be taken the wrong way.”
She went on to tell the court that the “shame” had been “carried around inside with me for 20 years,” even when she was trying to get on with her life. Looking at the media coverage of the allegations surrounding Brand resulted in the woman suffering her “only panic attack” she’s ever endured.
“Even more terrifying was seeing my character be torn apart on social media by people believing all of us women were making it up,” she said. An emotionless Brand stared straight ahead as the impact statement was read. The woman continued: “It was hugely upsetting for myself, my family and friends who wanted to scream at their phones whilst scrolling through.”
In the wake of the allegations being made public, she said there had been “accusations and death threats” from Brand’s supporters which had “installed a genuine fear” that her identity would one day be disclosed “and some crazy person will come after me or my family.”
The trial, she says, had taken a “huge toll” on her physical and mental health. “I felt like my life was on hold for all of that time waiting my time to speak out about what happened to me,” she concluded, before adding that a leopard may change its spots – but “it’s still a leopard and not a gazelle”.
If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or by calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
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