Katherine Ryan says she feels ‘grief and relief’ after Russell Brand conviction

On the most recent episode of her podcast, *Telling Everybody Everything*, Ryan reflected on the impact of the guilty verdict in Russell Brand’s trial. She described feeling emotionally overwhelmed and unsettled, expressing admiration for the survivors who bravely spoke out despite facing a powerful figure like Brand. “It really made me feel just quite dysregulated again, caught off-guard, emotional, in awe of the survivors who also had nothing to gain,” she said. Ryan highlighted the courage it took for these individuals to come forward, especially given Brand’s widespread fame, financial resources, and devoted fanbase ready to defend him.

Ryan was clear in her stance on the matter, emphasizing that she does not wish to celebrate others’ misfortunes but acknowledged that some justice had been served. “There has been some justice done today. There’s a level of relief, but there’s grief alongside relief,” she noted. She underscored the complexity of the situation, recognizing the court’s confirmation that a terrible event had indeed occurred. At the same time, Ryan expressed ongoing concern for those who have suffered, saying, “I just think again and again about people who have been hurt, and who have to carry that, who’ve carried that around long enough, and will continue to carry that in some way, regardless of what justice is done.”

In addition to the guilty verdict, Russell Brand is under investigation for further rape allegations involving two more women, according to police statements. Legal documents from a hearing at London’s Southwark Crown Court reveal that one of these women was 16 years old at the time of the alleged incident and appeared in a Channel 4 documentary. The initial inquiry stemmed from a joint investigation by Channel 4 Dispatches, *The Times*, and *The Sunday Times* in September 2023, in which four women accused Brand of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse. Brand has denied all allegations. It is important to note that the complainants in the criminal trial are not the same women featured in the media investigation.

During a pre-trial hearing in October, Brand attempted to have his criminal case dismissed, arguing that the extensive media coverage following the Dispatches documentary made a fair trial impossible. Prosecutors opposed this motion, emphasizing the ongoing investigations into the allegations. Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC clarified that among the women interviewed in the documentary, two incidents related to events outside the court’s jurisdiction, one woman did not disclose an offence, and the other is currently under investigation. The latter case involved an allegation not reported until 2024, after the documentary’s broadcast. Prosecutors also pushed back on claims that an investigation had been declined, stating that the police have acted appropriately following formal allegations. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley remarked in a BBC Radio 4 interview that he expects more individuals might come forward with complaints and criticized aspects of the trial coverage as bordering on “victim blaming.