Georgina Baillie’s Court Letter Described Russell Brand as ‘Always Lovely’

Georgina Baillie, granddaughter of late Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs, wrote a character reference for Russell Brand that was presented to the judge at his sentencing hearing, according to the Press Association. In the letter, she described Brand as “always lovely” to her and said she trusted him to tell the truth. Baillie said she first met the comedian in 2006 and that they had about 12 casual sexual encounters over the following year. She told the court that, in her experience, Brand did not act aggressively or coercively and respected her wishes. She described their relationship as consensual and said he never asked her to do anything she did not want to do. In the account reported by the Press Association, Baillie recalled being young, “wild and free,” and somewhat in awe of Brand’s fame and lifestyle. She said she grew fond of him, calling him genuinely nice to her, while also describing him as intelligent, eloquent, quick-witted and capable of being thoughtful. She added that he could be immature and had a large ego. Baillie also referred to the 2008 Sachsgate scandal, when Brand and Jonathan Ross left voicemails for her grandfather that were later broadcast on Brand’s radio programme. She told the judge that Brand subsequently left her a message suggesting she go to her grandfather’s home to delete it. Baillie said she was vilified in the press after the incident and that Brand later paid for her to attend rehabilitation as she struggled with alcohol addiction. The reference was submitted as Brand faced sentencing after a jury found him guilty of four offences dating from 2004 to 2009. The article reports that the jury heard evidence from women who said they had experienced sexual contact without their consent. Baillie’s letter described her own past encounters and personal experience of Brand; it did not alter the jury’s verdict.