Russell Brand accuser 'screamed in pain' during alleged rape, court hears

Comedian denies charges involving six women spanning a decade

By LineZotpaper

Published22 October 2026

Read Time2 min

A woman who accuses Russell Brand of rape told her mother he "didn't stop even when she screamed out in pain", a court heard on Thursday, as witnesses described how she confided in family, friends and colleagues within days of the alleged attack. Brand, 51, denies three charges of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault against six women, with allegations spanning 10 years from 1999. The trial continues at Southwark crown court.

The woman, who alleges Brand anally raped her at his London townhouse in early 2009 after he picked her from the crowd at a Hammersmith Apollo stand-up show, described the attack to her parents, friends, boyfriend and a sexual health nurse, the court heard. Several people urged her to go to the police but she feared she would not be believed.

In a witness statement read to the court, the woman's mother said: "She said he forced anal sex on her and didn't stop even when she screamed out in pain and asked him to stop." Her father told the court he responded: "You have been raped, that's rape."

A colleague described the woman as "ashen, greyish, and looked ill" when she confided in her, recounting how Brand became aggressive, "pushed her down on the bed and she couldn't breathe" and ignored her repeated pleas to stop. The colleague said the woman was "bleeding everywhere, from her anus", and that Brand shouted: "Look what you've done to my fucking sheets."

Friends told the court the woman said Brand had treated her "like an animal", called her "dirty" and had "gone from being charming to violent and cold-hearted". One friend described how the woman's "face was as white as a sheet" when she encountered Brand at the Edinburgh festival months later, and how messages from Brand had been "pinging off" her phone.

The woman's former boyfriend told the court she had not wanted anal sex but had "surrendered". Under cross-examination by Brand's barrister, Ian Winter KC, he was asked about a witness statement from June 2025 in which he said the woman had "come round" to having anal sex.

Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial continues.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The trial is one of the most closely watched celebrity sexual assault cases in Britain, testing how courts handle allegations dating back decades.
The accounts relayed by witnesses highlight fears that victims express about not being believed when reporting sexual violence.
The verdict will carry weight for both accusers and defendants at a time of heightened scrutiny of historical abuse claims.

Background

Russell Brand is a British comedian and actor who became prominent in the 2000s. The charges before Southwark crown court relate to six women, with the allegations spanning 10 years from 1999. He denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty. The trial is being heard by a jury and involves witnesses giving evidence about accounts the woman made to people close to her shortly after the alleged attack.

Key Perspectives

The prosecution and witnesses: The accounts relayed to the court describe a consistent picture: the woman confided in multiple people soon after the alleged attack and described pain, bleeding and being ignored when she said stop. Witnesses said they urged her to report the matter to police.

The defence: Brand denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty. His barrister, Ian Winter KC, has cross-examined prosecution witnesses, including testing the former boyfriend's account in which he said the woman had "come round" to anal sex.

Critics and sceptics: The woman herself told friends she did not expect to be believed, a fear witnesses described as the reason she did not go to police at the time. Historical allegations of this kind present challenges for both sides, as evidence and memories age.

What to Watch

The continuation of witness testimony and cross-examination as the trial progresses.
Whether the defence presents further evidence addressing the issue of consent.
The jury's verdict on charges covering allegations from 1999 to 2009.

Sources

Russell Brand raped woman even though she screamed in pain, court hears · UK news | The Guardian

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedThe accuser screamed in pain during the alleged rape, the court heard.UK news | The Guardian: “A woman told her mother that Russell Brand had raped her and “didn’t stop even when she screamed out in pain”, a court has heard.”
SupportedBrand denies charges involving six women, with allegations spanning a decade.UK news | The Guardian: “Brand faces three charges of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault against six women, in allegations spanning 10 years from 1999. The 51-year-old denies all the charges and has pleaded not guilty.”
SupportedThe woman told her mother Brand did not stop even when she screamed in pain.UK news | The Guardian: “In a witness statement read by the junior prosecution counsel, Suki Dhadda, the woman’s mother said: “She said he forced anal sex on her and didn’t stop even when she screamed out in pain and asked him to stop.””
SupportedWitnesses described the woman confiding in family, friends and colleagues within days of the alleged attack.UK news | The Guardian: “The woman told her parents, friends, boyfriend and a sexual health nurse about the alleged attack”
SupportedBrand, 51, denies three rape charges, three sexual-assault charges and one indecent-assault charge relating to six women; the allegations span 10 years from 1999.UK news | The Guardian: “Brand faces three charges of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault against six women, in allegations spanning 10 years from 1999. The 51-year-old denies all the charges and has pleaded not guilty.”
SupportedThe woman alleges Brand anally raped her at his London townhouse in early 2009 after picking her out of the crowd at a Hammersmith Apollo show.UK news | The Guardian: “The court heard on Thursday from 24 witnesses connected to the woman, who alleges Brand anally raped her at his London townhouse after picking her out from a crowd at one of his stand-up performances at the Hammersmith Apollo in early 2009.”
SupportedThe woman told her parents, friends, boyfriend and a sexual-health nurse about the alleged attack, and several encouraged her to go to police, but she feared she would not be believed.UK news | The Guardian: “The woman told her parents, friends, boyfriend and a sexual health nurse about the alleged attack and several encouraged her to go to the police but she feared she would not be believed, Southwark crown court heard on Thursday.”
SupportedThe woman’s mother said Brand forced anal sex on her daughter and did not stop when she screamed and asked him to stop.UK news | The Guardian: ““She said he forced anal sex on her and didn’t stop even when she screamed out in pain and asked him to stop.””
SupportedThe woman’s father told the court, “You have been raped, that's rape.”UK news | The Guardian: “It was then I said to her: ‘You have been raped, that’s rape.’”
SupportedA colleague described the woman as “ashen, greyish, and looked ill” and said Brand pushed her down, she could not breathe, and he ignored her repeated pleas to stop.UK news | The Guardian: “The colleague told the court the alleged victim was “ashen, greyish, and looked ill” when describing shortly after the alleged attack how Brand had “really fucking hurt” her. The colleague told the court: “She described that he got aggressive and pushed her down on the bed and she couldn’t breathe and she was trying to say stop because it was hurting her. I said: ‘Did you stay stop?’ and she said: ‘Yes, multiple times.’””
SupportedThe colleague said the woman was bleeding from her anus and Brand shouted, “Look what you’ve done to my fucking sheets.”UK news | The Guardian: ““She was bleeding everywhere, from her anus, and he shouted at her, Mr Brand, he said: ‘Look what you’ve done to my fucking sheets’ or something like that, and she was very embarrassed.””
SupportedThe woman’s former boyfriend said she had not wanted anal sex but had “surrendered”; he was asked about a June 2025 statement saying she had “come round” to it.UK news | The Guardian: “The woman’s former boyfriend told the court that she had not wanted to have anal sex but had “surrendered”. In cross-examination by Brand’s barrister Ian Winter KC the man was asked about a witness statement he had given in June 2025 in which he said the woman had “come round” to having anal sex.”