Quick summary
- Georgina Baillie, granddaughter of actor Andrew Sachs, submitted a character reference for Russell Brand ahead of his sentencing.
- Brand was jailed for 10 and a half years after a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three of sexual assault, covering 2004 to 2009.
- Baillie wrote that their 2006 relationship was consensual and that Brand “understood and respected boundaries”, according to the Daily Star and PA.
- The Metropolitan Police say they are still assessing new information and are weighing further charges with the CPS.
Georgina Baillie, the woman at the centre of the 2008 Sachsgate scandal, wrote a glowing character reference for Russell Brand that was put before the judge at his sentencing hearing on Monday. Her letter, obtained by PA and reported by the Daily Star, did not change the outcome. Brand was sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison.
What Georgina Baillie told the judge
Baillie’s letter was handed to Mr Justice Bennathan, the Daily Star reported. She said she met Brand in 2006 and that they had around 12 “casual sexual encounters” over about a year. In her words, “Russell never behaved aggressively, coercively or without regard to my wishes.”
She described him as an “unabashed womaniser” whose public reputation was, at the height of his fame, something close to celebrated. She also said he had been “always lovely” to her and her friends, and that she regarded him as “truthful and reliable”.
Her account of her own part in it was candid. She wrote that she was a “somewhat wild and free young woman” who was “to some degree in awe of his fame and lifestyle”, and that she was never forced or coerced.
She is one of several people whose references were relied on by Brand’s legal team. PA has obtained five others, with the names redacted. The Independent said they highlighted his charity work, including funding addiction treatment for at least 20 people.
Who is Georgina Baillie?
LBC describes Baillie, 41, as an actress, singer and former burlesque dancer, born in east London. Other outlets, including the Daily Star, call her an artist and art therapist. She is the maternal granddaughter of Andrew Sachs, the actor best known as Manuel in Fawlty Towers. Sachs died in 2016.
LBC reports that she later toured with Adam Ant’s band in 2011 and 2012, and has more recently become known for her painting and a podcast called HOPE: Hearing Other People’s Stories.
The Sachsgate link
Her statement carried extra weight because of 2008. Brand, with broadcaster Jonathan Ross, left four voicemails on Sachs’s phone describing Brand’s sexual relationship with Baillie, and the material was aired on Brand’s BBC Radio 2 show. Brand lost the show. Ross was suspended and later returned, LBC reported, and both apologised to Sachs, who was 78.
Baillie told the court Brand later left her a voicemail “suggesting I go to my grandfather’s house to delete the message”. She also said she was “vilified in the press and cast as some sort of immoral witch”. Brand, she said, later paid for her to go to rehab while she was struggling with alcohol addiction.
Her closing line was direct: she had “perhaps just as good a reason as anyone not to support Russell”, but chose to support him “because of the person I know him to be”.
The case behind the letter
It is worth keeping the two things apart. Baillie speaks only to her own experience. The jury heard from other women, and found Brand guilty of four offences. According to the Daily Star, these included forcing a 21-year-old fan into anal sex, groping and kissing a radio station worker, grabbing a woman’s breasts in a bar, and putting his head in the lap of a Channel 4 worker who had been made to give him a massage.
The judge called Brand “staggeringly arrogant” and said he assaulted women believing his fame would let him get away with it.
What happens next
The Metropolitan Police have said several people contacted detectives during and after the trial. A spokesperson said, “Detectives are assessing this information as part of their ongoing inquiries.” The Daily Star adds that two allegations of rape were made before the trial and that the force is assessing with the CPS whether to bring further charges.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy has urged anyone with similar experiences to come forward, however long ago they happened. For more on this story, see our earlier coverage of Georgina Baillie’s letter to the judge and her court statement backing Brand, or browse our Celebrities section.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Georgina Baillie?
She is a performer, painter and art therapist, and the granddaughter of Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs. She became widely known through the 2008 Sachsgate scandal.
What did Georgina Baillie say about Russell Brand?
She wrote that their relationship in 2006 was consensual and that he “understood and respected boundaries”. She said she still chose to support him.
What sentence did Russell Brand receive?
He was jailed for 10 and a half years after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Could Russell Brand face more charges?
The Metropolitan Police say they are assessing new information and are discussing with the CPS whether further charges should be brought.
