Russell Brand Gives Evidence as Rape and Sexual Assault Trial Continues

Russell Brand is on trial at Southwark Crown Court over allegations of sexual offences. Before a change to the indictment on October 27, he denied three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The prosecution evidence has included an accuser's account of an alleged rape and a statement from Brand's former personal assistant. Brand denies non-consensual sexual activity and has described his past encounters as consensual, according to The Independent.

On October 26, the court heard evidence from Brand's former personal assistant, Helen Berger. She told police he had an "insane sexual appetite" and that his bad behaviour was "normalised and dismissed" by those around him, the Guardian reported. Those descriptions were her account, not findings by the court.

Coverage that day also described testimony from a woman alleging that Brand raped her inside a London bar. TMZ reported that she described him as looking possessed during the alleged attack.

On October 27, Mr Justice Bennathan dismissed the indecent assault charge and replaced it with attempted indecent assault, according to Variety Movies. The decision concerned that count, not the whole case, and the trial continued.

The court also heard Brand's account to police of his sexual history. He described himself as "promiscuous" but denied forcing himself on women, saying his interactions with fans were "friendly, consensual and warm", The Independent reported.

On October 28, Brand took the stand as his defence began. He denied the allegations and said his "entire life has been consumed by these allegations", according to Deadline Hollywood.

The current indictment comprises three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault, according to Top Stories. Brand denies all the charges.

As he began giving evidence, Brand described the allegations' impact on him as devastating, BBC News reported. He also told the court that he had not persuaded anyone to testify on his behalf, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That statement does not establish whether the allegations are true or false.

The trial is now in its defence phase, with Brand's evidence underway, according to Deadline Hollywood. The pending issue is how the court assesses his account alongside the prosecution evidence. The change to the indecent assault count has not resolved the remaining charges.