Some of the offences of which he has been found guilty took place almost two decades ago and questions are now being asked as to how the sexual abuse claims slipped under the radar for so long.
uncertain
claims → find → radar
The 51-year-old was found guilty of raping a young fan he met after one his Hammersmith Apollo shows in 2009.
asserted
he → find → 2009
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He was cleared of two other rapes and one attempted indecent assault.
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He → read → rapes
Brand is now expected to face a lengthy prison term when the sentencing takes place on November 9.
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sentencing → expect → November
The verdict comes as the Metropolitan Police confirms the comedian is under investigation for two further counts of rape made against Brand - one of which happened more than 20 years ago when Brand was aged 30.
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Brand → come → which
The verdicts and the new revelations have prompted questions as to how Brand was allowed to get away with his campaign of sexual misconduct for so long.
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Brand → prompt → misconduct
Eyes have turned to TV bosses and showbiz execs who are now being accused by charities of turning a blind eye to Brand’s antics and facilitating a toxic environment.
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who → turn → environment
The court heard that one victim was dragged to the toilet by Brand at a bar in Soho in 2004 when she worked for MTV.
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she → hear → MTV
The victim said the “lad culture” of the time meant she did not report her interaction with Brand at the time, telling the court: ““He was a celebrity and it would be his word against mine.
“I just thought the odds weren’t in my favour.”
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odds → say → favour
She claimed she told her producer two years later when Brand was rehired.
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Brand → claim → producer
Brand went on to host MTV’s iconic Video Music Awards.
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Brand → go → Awards
The comedian also sexually assaulted a Choice FM - now rebranded as Capital FM - radio worker at her place of work in 2005, pinning her up against a wall and “sloppily” kissing and groping her.
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comedian → assault → her
The court heard that Brand’s entourage did not intervene in the attack, laughing as the attack unfolded.
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attack → hear → attack
Another complainant said she was working for Channel 4 in 2009 when Brand sexually assaulted her by forcing her to give him a massage.
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Brand → say → massage
Brand’s associates, named in court as Jack Bayles and Gareth Roy, were understood to have laughed while the attack happened.
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attack → name → Bayles
The victim also claimed she reported the assault to bosses, but nothing was done.
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nothing → claim → bosses
The now-convicted Brand continued to appear on Channel 4 for the next ten years.
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Brand → convict → years
While investigations in Brand are still ongoing, nobody in Brand’s entourage is expected to face criminal charges.
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nobody → expect → charges
Mr Bayles went on to become Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor of Comedy, commissioning hit-shows like Derry Girls, Stath Lets Flats, and This Way Up.
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Stath → go → Flats
He left the broadcaster in 2017.
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He → leave → 2017
Mr Roy continued to work with Brand into the late 2010s, co-hosting a podcast with the convicted comedian.
Channel 4 claimed in an internal report that two people had raised concerns about Brand prior to his appearance on the Great British Bake Off, but “unsubstantiated rumours” did not eliminate him as a contestant.
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rumours → continue → contestant
The BBC has also been caught up in the Brand allegations.
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BBC → catch → allegations
A woman claimed Brand exposed himself to her, before later laughing about it on-air during an episode of the Russell Brand show in 2008.
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Brand → claim → 2008
The woman did not make a complaint until 11 years later, but nothing was ever done.
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nothing → make → complaint
The BBC published a detailed report in January, looking into eight allegations of misconduct while Brand worked at the broadcaster.
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Brand → publish → broadcaster
In a statement, the BBC said: “It was of great concern to us that some people felt unable to raise concerns about Brand’s behaviour.
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people → say → behaviour
We apologised to those impacted, for both the culture and failings at the time, and we reiterate that apology again today.”
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we → apologise → apology
A number of women’s charities have now condemned Brand’s offending and the toxic entertainment and media culture that facilitated the sexual violence.
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that → condemn → violence
Deniz Ugur, deputy director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said the “incredibly difficult” challenge of reporting rape and sexual assault to the police can be “heightened when the perpetrator has a significant amount of wealth and status and a network of power”.
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perpetrator → say → power
She added: “What we see with powerful perpetrators is that there are often others around them [who] enable abuse or are complicit in it through cultures of silence.
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who → add → silence
“These institutional cultures are found across the entertainment industry, media and beyond, and prevent survivors from accessing justice.
“Perpetrators with power, wealth and status are often able to weaponise the law to silence survivors and even the media, through legal threats and NDAs.”
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Perpetrators → find → threats
Women’s Aid slammed the broadcasters in their duty of care towards employees, branding the verdicts “a wake-up call to broadcasters.”
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Aid → slam → broadcasters
“Too often we have seen men like Russell Brand manipulate their way out of consequences and evade prosecution by asserting their power and money dangerously,” the charity’s chief executive Farah Nazeer said.
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executive → see → power
The charity Refuge added: “The sickening crimes committed by Russell Brand demonstrate how perpetrators in the public eye are often able to act with impunity – with devastating consequences for the survivors affected.”
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perpetrators → add → survivors
Brand’s case has also been described as a potential “watershed” moment for “laddish culture” during the Noughties.
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case → describe → Noughties
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said: “ “We can see from the pattern of Brand’s behaviour how it escalates in the early part of his career, the imbalance of power created as a result of his status and his celebrity.
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it → say → status
“I think this is potentially a watershed moment where we look back and think about that laddish culture during that period of time and what was appropriate and what wasn’t.”
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what → think → time
He also paid tribute to the “extraordinary courage, resilience and determination” of the women who spoke out against Brand.
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who → pay → Brand
Mr Furphy said: “Despite intense media and public scrutiny, they relived deeply personal and traumatic experiences and placed their trust in us.
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they → say → us
“Brand used his influence, status and fame to prey on and exploit women.
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Brand → use → women
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
