A comedian has said that Russell Brand assaulted her when she was 22 and starting out in the industry, telling the comedy industry that his trial needs to be a ‘turning point’
A comedian has claimed that Russell Brand physically assaulted her when she was 22-years-old. Speaking after Brand was sentenced to 10 years in prison, stand-up Josie Long recalled her dealings with the disgraced star, recalling how he would bite her face and chase her after she ordered him to stop.
Long, 44, also issued a dark warning to any other ‘misogynists’ hiding in plain sight in the comedy industry.
Brand, 51, was recently found guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault and one of rape. He was he would be on the sex offenders register for life and must serve at least seven years of his sentence before being considered for release.
Follow our live coverage of Russell Brand’s sentencing here
Speaking to Novara Media, Josie said: “I actually had an experience with Russell Brand. Backstage, he would bite my face and I would tell him I didn’t like it and he would chase me around.
“I would giggle because I was 22 and it was overwhelming. It took a lot for him to stop. It’s funny now to reckon with that and to be like, ‘oh that was physical assault, wasn’t it?'”
Adding a warning to the comedy industry she said: “I just simply can’t tell you how toxic that culture was back then. I really, really want this to be a turning point in the industry. I want to say this very clearly: all other misogynists in comedy, we’re coming for you and I hope you never sleep again.”
Brand and Josie frequently crossed paths as part of the UK alternative comedy circuit, particularly during the mid-2000s and early 2010s.
In interviews recalling what it was like to work alongside him in the early days of the London comedy scene, Josie described Brand’s conduct as “consistently disgusting, to be fair”. She said how he would arrive at gigs with stacks of explicit contact cards collected from London phone booths to pick out women for after the show.
Following his conviction she said: “I don’t know a single female comedian who isn’t relieved and reassured by this. I hope it can be a turning point for an industry that for too long has enabled and promoted predatory men at the expense of safety and justice for women. I am so glad that his victims have got some justice – they have been so brave and so strong.”
Judge Mr Justice Joel Bennathan praised the women who came forward about Brand for their bravery. He said: “Before passing sentence, I pause to pay tribute to the determination and bravery of all the women whose evidence I have been recounting.
“I do not increase your punishment because of it, but all those women had to face being confronted and being told they had lied, or twisted the truth and, or, they had agreed to your sexual demands. That was all done because of you, on your instructions.”
This comes after barrister Ian Winter KC, acting on Brand’s instructions had attempted to claim all of the accusations against his client were either consensual or didn’t happen. During the trial, he also accused the victims of fabricating their accounts and not complaining at the time, leading to calls for rape myths about victims reactions to be challenged in court.
The judge added: “Whatever women wear, wherever they go, indeed whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no and to demand justice from the criminal courts when sexual predators like you, Russell Brand, act without their consent.”
He also criticised Brand and those around him who may have encouraged his behaviour. He called the TV star a “sexual predator” with “staggering arrogance”. Mr Justice Bennathan continued: “No doubt your companions thought it was outrageous laddish behaviour that only you could get away with. It was outrageous and possibly laddish, but also a criminal sexual offence… and as it turns out you haven’t got away with it.”
If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
