Russell Brand accuser tells court he raped her in hotel room

A woman has told Southwark Crown Court that Russell Brand raped her in a hotel room after they met at a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth in 1999.

The woman said she invited Brand, then an unknown performer, to her room to continue a conversation after his cabaret show. In a police interview played to the court, she said Brand removed most of his clothes, “pranced around” and made her take photographs of him before forcing her onto the bed.

She told the court she repeatedly said no, could not fight back or breathe properly under his weight, and felt “like a zombie.” She alleged that Brand told her “it’s just fun” during the attack. She became tearful while describing the encounter and insisted under questioning by Brand’s barrister that she had never consented to sex.

Brand, 51, denies the allegation. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault involving six women and alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009.

On Friday, Brand’s former flatmate Andrew Dobson described him at the time as “very egotistical,” erratic and highly preoccupied with sex. Dobson said Brand returned to the troupe’s accommodation the morning after the alleged attack and that there was a hurried, tense departure, although he did not understand why. Statements from two friends describing when the woman told them about the alleged rape were also read to the court.