Russell Brand convicted of rape, the British Prime Minister wants to change the law to better protect victims

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans to review the conditions under which rape trials are conducted in the UK, following the conviction of Russell Brand for rape and three sexual assaults. The Prime Minister wants to strengthen the protection of victims in court and prevent them from feeling that they are being judged when they report sexual violence.

Andy Burnham wants to prevent victims from ending up "in the dock".

Speaking on Times Radio, Andy Burnham stated that the British justice system needed to review certain practices in rape trials. The Prime Minister specifically mentioned how complainants are questioned and how their behavior can be examined by juries : "I think we need to constantly review how rape trials are conducted, to ensure that they don't leave women feeling like they are on trial, as some have experienced in the past."

The Labour leader indicated that he would carefully study the circumstances of Russell Brand's trial and the proposals put forward by the head of London's Metropolitan Police, Mark Rowley . When asked about a possible change in legislation, he did not rule anything out: "I'm not ruling anything out at all, of course not. I'm going to look very carefully at what happened in this case."

Andy Burnham also stressed the need to encourage more women to report sexual violence and to improve judicial outcomes : “We must encourage more women to report rape. We must increase the conviction rate. It has improved, but not enough. We must do more to support victims of sexual assault and rape, and we will.”

Mandatory instructions for jurors to combat prejudices about rape

Among the proposed measures is a strengthening of the explanations given to jurors regarding common misconceptions about rape and victims' reactions. The aim is, in particular, to prevent jurors from assuming that a victim should necessarily have physically defended themselves, filed a complaint immediately, or adopted a specific behavior after an assault.

Metropolitan Police Chief Mark Rowley called for measures to be taken to combat these prejudices. He also denounced certain comments surrounding Russell Brand's trial, arguing that they were dangerously close to blaming the victims.

The British government may therefore consider changes to the rules governing rape trials. However, no specific legislative measures have yet been announced.

Russell Brand found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults

On Thursday, Russell Brand, 51, was found guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a jury at Southwark Criminal Court in London . The offenses he was accused of took place between 2004 and 2009, when the comedian was experiencing a rise in British media and film.

The former husband of singer Katy Perry was notably found guilty of raping a young woman he met after a show in 2009. The three other convictions relate to sexual assaults committed against women in professional contexts or during private encounters.

During the four-week trial, Russell Brand denied the accusations and maintained that he had never had non-consensual sex. The jury acquitted him of two other charges of rape and one count of attempted sexual assault.

Upon hearing the verdict, Judge Joel Bennathan denied bail and ordered him detained. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, November 9. The comedian faces a lengthy prison term.

Two other rape allegations are still being investigated by the police.

Russell Brand's conviction has not ended the investigation into him. London's Metropolitan Police are continuing to examine two other rape allegations against the actor. Investigators have indicated that new alleged victims may also come forward after the verdict.

The investigation involved more than 100 witnesses, resulted in over 400 statements, and required the examination of more than 1.400 documents. Police also reviewed several hundred hours of Russell Brand's broadcasts, interviews, and performances to reconstruct the events and compare his statements with the testimonies gathered.

Andy Burnham described the comedian's crimes as "horrifying" and welcomed the fact that justice had been served for the victims. The Prime Minister was also questioned about his public support for Russell Brand in 2014, when he defended the comedian against criticism of his political views. He maintained that at the time, he was completely unaware of the extent of Brand's actions.

The British government now intends to examine proposals aimed at better protecting victims of sexual violence during trials. Andy Burnham reaffirmed that this step was part of the government's policy to combat violence against women and girls.