Lucy Powell calls Russell Brand barrister's cross-examination of victims shocking
Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell has criticised the defence cross-examination of victims in the Russell Brand trial, days after he was jailed for rape and sexual assault.
Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell has described the courtroom cross-examination of victims in the Russell Brand trial as shocking and depressing, saying she had believed courts had moved beyond such treatment of complainants. Powell, now education secretary, made the criticism after the comedian was convicted of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to more than ten years in prison.
Southwark Crown Court found Brand guilty of one rape and three sexual assaults. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault. The sentence was reported as 10.5 years. A Metropolitan Police detective described him as a dangerous offender, and the force is investigating two further rape allegations against him.
Reports from the trial say Brand's defence barrister came close to victim blaming during cross-examination, and that Brand is angry at his barrister's courtroom performance. Powell said the questioning was not what she expected from the justice system in 2026. Her remarks drew attention to how complainants in sexual offence cases are handled once they give evidence in court, a question that has been raised repeatedly in recent years.
Powell also said she regretted arranging Ed Miliband's 2015 interview with Brand, which took place when the comedian had a high public profile. Her comments added a political dimension to a case that has already prompted wide discussion of the treatment of sexual offence complainants during proceedings.
The case has also brought renewed attention to Brand's former partner, Jemima Goldsmith, who has publicly alleged violence and coercive control by Brand. Goldsmith said she called police in 2014 to have Brand removed from her home, but did not press charges at the time. Her statement followed reports about a 2015 harassment injunction sought against Szilvia Berki, who had accused Brand of assault in 2014. Goldsmith proposed a variation to that injunction, but it is unclear whether the change was agreed.
Brand and Goldsmith both deny the allegations made against them. The Metropolitan Police's investigation into the two further rape allegations against Brand remains ongoing, and no charges have been reported in connection with those complaints.
Source: theguardian.com
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