The jury in Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault trial retired on Tuesday to consider its verdicts, The Guardian reported. AFP and France 24 also reported that the jury was deliberating. The three-week trial took place at Southwark Crown Court in London.
Brand, 51, faces seven charges involving six women. The allegations span 10 years, starting in 1999. He is accused of three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Last week, an allegation of indecent assault was changed to a charge of attempted indecent assault. Brand has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, told the jury of eight men and four women that he could only accept a unanimous verdict from all 12 of them. He had earlier summed up the evidence, going through each count on the indictment.
During the trial, Brand was described as a ruthless, calculated and manipulative sexual predator, The Guardian reported. In her closing speech on October 30, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC said six women who did not know each other had accused Brand of a similar pattern of behaviour. She said the women had nothing to gain. She added that they had not sought publicity, taken part in a documentary or claimed compensation.
Brand's barrister, Ian Winter KC, gave his closing speech on Monday. He said a Dispatches documentary about the comedian's alleged sexual misconduct had "poisoned the wells" of justice against him. He also pointed to what he called "monstrous delays" before the women went to police. He questioned why Brand had been accused of "only three rapes in 10 years" out of all the women he had slept with.
Brand did not speak to the press when he arrived at court on Tuesday morning. His wife, Laura Brand, and members of his entourage accompanied him.