Laura Gallacher Calls Russell Brand an “Amazing Husband” While Testifying at His Trial

Laura Gallacher took the stand in London on Thursday as a character witness for her husband, Russell Brand, who is on trial for rape and sexual assault. According to reports from Sky News, she described him as “caring and kind,” an “amazing husband” and a “wonderful father.” “I feel very seen by him,” she told the court, speaking about their marriage and relationship. Gallacher said the pair first met in 2006 at one of Brand’s comedy shows, when she was 19 and he was 31. They began dating and told each other they loved one another, she recalled, but said it was “difficult for him to be monogamous.” The couple split in 2007. Brand later married singer Katy Perry; Gallacher told the court she did not see him during that marriage, which ended in 2012. She and Brand reconnected in 2014 and married in 2017. They have three children together. Her testimony followed Brand’s appearance in the witness box a day earlier. He told the court that his life had been consumed by the allegations and said no one with relevant evidence had agreed to testify on his behalf. Brand has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. The charges relate to alleged incidents between 1999 and 2009 involving six complainants, whose identities are protected under UK law. Brand denied the allegations in court, telling the jury, “I’m innocent.” He also acknowledged that some of his past conduct was wrong in retrospect, saying he had been comfortable letting his success and fame facilitate sexual access. Gallacher’s account was presented as character testimony; it does not determine the jury’s verdict on the charges.