Why Katy Perry’s name was kept out of Russell Brand’s rape trial

Katy Perry’s name was largely kept out of the courtroom during the high-profile sexual assault trial of her former husband, British comedian Russell Brand, after his legal team successfully challenged the relevance of their past relationship to the criminal allegations.

Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault following a trial at Southwark Crown Court in London. The case involved allegations made by six women. He was acquitted of two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.

According to reports, prosecutors had initially planned to refer to Brand’s brief marriage to Perry during their opening statements. However, his defence lawyers objected, arguing that details of the former couple’s relationship had no relevance to the allegations being considered by the jury.

Lead prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC acknowledged the issue during pre-trial submissions. She said the prosecution was prepared to exclude references to Brand’s relationship with Perry after 2009, along with potentially sensitive details about his religious beliefs.

As a result, the singer’s name was not included in the prosecution’s opening statement. Brand briefly referred to Perry once during the four-week proceedings, telling jurors that their relationship had contributed to his “staggering fame”.

References to Brand’s religious practices, as well as his past struggles with alcohol and drugs, were also excluded from the trial.

Brand and Perry began dating in 2009 and married in India in October 2010. However, their marriage lasted only 14 months.

The comedian reportedly ended the relationship through a text message shortly before Perry was due to perform on stage. Their separation was followed by a divorce.

Despite their high-profile relationship, their marriage was not considered relevant to the criminal allegations being examined by the court.

Following the verdict, the judge indicated that Brand should expect a significant prison sentence. He was remanded in custody after the court refused to allow him to return home due to concerns that he could flee before sentencing.

Brand is due to be sentenced on Monday and will remain behind bars until then.

The verdict marks a major development in the case, with Brand facing imprisonment after being convicted of four offences involving rape and sexual assault.