Russell Brand's Accusers Showed Courage, Burnham Says

The prime minister is tying Russell Brand's sentence to something bigger than one courtroom. Andy Burnham says the women who testified against the comedian have shown a kind of courage that will push the system to change, and he's promising to keep pressing for it.

Brand, 51, received 10 years and six months in prison. He was found guilty last Thursday of raping a woman in 2009 and sexually assaulting female TV and radio staff between 2004 and 2009. Burnham made his remarks while the sentencing hearing was still underway, speaking at a hospital in Hertfordshire.

Support Before the Next Complainant Walks In

Burnham's first point was about the gap between what victims need and what they get. "I don't think you ever can do enough to get the right support in place for victims to give them the confidence to come forward, because we know that still isn't there in the way that it should be."

He then pointed to a concrete step. "I have already taken a decision to make sure there are rape and serious sexual offence teams in every police force by the end of next year." He said that timetable had been 2029 and that he had moved it forward, adding that he leans on his record as mayor of Greater Manchester in this area.

That's the part worth watching. Specialist teams are a structural fix, not a speech, and the question is whether forces can staff them with people who stay in the role. A deadline is easy to announce. Hitting it in every force is the harder job.

The Defence Argument That Drew Fire

The sharpest friction came from the trial itself. Brand's defence barrister, Ian Winter KC, told jurors that none of the complainants had "resisted, screamed or even tried to leave." Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley responded that the reporting of those words "heads towards – it's getting very close to victim blaming, which is something we've thought very hard about in policing and make sure we don't do."

Rowley went further: "It shouldn't be possible for inaccurate statements to be made to a jury to suggest that because a rape victim didn't behave in one way that somehow undermines their case." On Saturday, Burnham said he would "look closely" at those remarks.

Where the Debate Goes Next

Here's the thing: the myths that Rowley described aren't confined to one trial. The Victims' Commissioner has called for a legal duty on judges to explain rape myths and misconceptions in every relevant trial. That idea would move the fight from advocacy into the courtroom procedure itself.

Speaking on Times Radio, Burnham said the government would look at how to "make sure they do not leave the woman feeling like she is on trial in court." He said he was "always prepared to make changes" and added, "We need to encourage more women to come forward to report rape, we need to get the conviction rate up."

Asked whether that could mean changes to the law, he said, "I wouldn't rule anything out… I will study what's happened here in great detail." That's a noncommittal answer, but it's an honest one. The open question is whether the case produces specific proposals or just a longer list of promises. The women who testified have already done their part. The system's response is now the thing to measure.

If you or someone you know needs support after sexual abuse, Victim Support offers help to survivors of rape and sexual abuse. You can contact them on 0333 300 6389.