Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Russell Brand Trial: Katy Perry Omitted By Prosecutors
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
New reporting after the trial’s reporting restrictions were lifted has revealed that prosecutors agreed to omit Katy Perry from their opening argument in Russell Brand’s rape trial, following submissions from Brand’s lawyers. The Crown Prosecution Service also confirmed Perry was not asked to provide a witness statement. The details shed light on how prosecutors handled potentially sensitive material during the case.
Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, including two offences from 2009, before he and Perry married. Prosecutors said references to their relationship after 2009 could be sensitive; Perry was mentioned once in court, when Brand said the relationship helped propel him to “staggering fame”. He remains in custody ahead of sentencing on Monday, and the judge said he would receive a custodial sentence of some length.
- Sources
- 2
- Outlets
- 2
- Left · Centre · Right
- 0 · 0 · 0
In short
- Prosecutors agreed to omit Katy Perry from their opening argument.
- Perry was not asked to provide a witness statement.
- Brand remains in custody ahead of sentencing on Monday.
How this story developed
- 1 hour ago Prosecutors agreed to omit Katy Perry from their opening argument at Russell Brand’s trial after submissions from Brand’s lawyers.
- 1 hour ago New reporting after the trial’s reporting restrictions were lifted has revealed that prosecutors agreed to omit Katy Perry from their opening argument in Russell Brand’s rape trial, following submissions from Brand’s lawyers.
Full account
Russell Brand’s marriage to Katy Perry was omitted from the prosecution’s opening argument at his trial after his legal team objected to its inclusion, according to reports published after restrictions on reporting pre-trial proceedings were lifted. Prosecutors had planned to refer to the relationship, but said they were willing to remove material about events after 2009, including Brand’s relationship with Perry and his previous religious beliefs.
Brand, 51, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was acquitted of three other charges after a four-week trial. He denied the allegations of non-consensual sexual activity and is due to be sentenced on Monday. The judge said he faced a custodial sentence of some length; a rape conviction in England and Wales can carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Perry was not asked to provide a witness statement during the police investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Senior prosecutor David Roberts said investigators had pursued all reasonable lines of inquiry relevant to the charges. Perry’s name was reportedly mentioned only once during the trial, when Brand testified that his relationship with the singer had helped bring him “staggering fame”. The pair began dating in 2009, married in 2010 and later divorced.
The prosecution’s decision to exclude the relationship was part of a wider set of limits on material presented to the jury. Reports say Brand’s lawyers also challenged evidence about his past alcohol and drug use, while references to his earlier religious practices and baptism were omitted. Testimony from a former assistant was edited to remove mention of treatment at a sex addiction clinic, though she was allowed to describe his sexual behaviour. These accounts concern decisions about what evidence was heard; they do not establish that the excluded material was relevant to the charges.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
Deadline focuses on Perry’s omission and quotes the CPS confirmation that she was not approached for a statement. Variety gives more detail about other evidence and background excluded or edited during the trial, and reports that Perry’s representative had not immediately responded to a request for comment. The supplied reports differ slightly in describing the reporting restriction as lifted after the trial concluded or after Brand’s conviction; both say details of pre-trial proceedings became public after the verdict.
Explained simply
Russell Brand is a British comedian and actor who became widely known through television, films and radio. Katy Perry is an American singer; she and Brand were married from 2010 to 2012.
The trial concerned allegations of rape and sexual assault. Prosecutors decide what evidence and background to present in court, while the defence can make legal submissions about what should be included.
Perry was not a witness in the case, and prosecutors said they did not seek a statement from her. The case matters because it concerns serious criminal offences and how evidence is presented at trial; a court’s verdict determines whether the charges are proved.