Jemima Goldsmith: I called police on Russell Brand for violence
The TV producer says she called police on the comedian in 2014 but chose not to press charges to protect her teenage children.
Jemima Goldsmith has accused her ex-partner Russell Brand of "violence, coercive control and abuse," revealing she once had to call police to have him removed from her home. According to the Mirror, the TV producer said the incident occurred in 2014, but she chose not to press charges at the time due to fears about the impact of press attention on her teenage children [1].
This statement arrives as Brand, 51, was sentenced to ten-and-a-half years in prison at Southwark Crown Court after being found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault [1]. Metro reported that Goldsmith, 52, took to X to break her silence, stating she had "always been strongly and unequivocally on the side of all of Brand's victims" [2]. She added that she was "in awe" of the courage shown by the women who testified in court.
Goldsmith admitted her own pain "pales in comparison" to what the women who testified have suffered, but described the 2014 period as having a "lasting impact" [2]. She noted she has neither seen nor spoken to Brand since that time. The producer also addressed the controversial 2015 High Court injunction she and Brand obtained against massage therapist Szilvia Berki. This order restricted what Berki could say publicly about the pair, following Berki's claim that Brand pushed her during a visit to Goldsmith's home.
Goldsmith said she cooperated fully with the police investigation, providing CCTV footage of her dog and a truthful statement. The police concluded there was no case to answer, and subsequent reviews by the IPCC and Thames Valley Police Professional Standards upheld this finding [1]. Goldsmith claimed Berki subsequently launched a campaign of "vicious antisemitic and threatening abuse," including messages calling her a "Jewish b***h" and threats of violence.
Despite not being in contact with Brand, Goldsmith agreed to the injunction to stop Berki targeting her family. The order was upheld by the High Court and Court of Appeal, and Berki was ordered to pay £50,000 towards legal fees [1]. Goldsmith said she instructed her lawyer last December to agree to vary the injunction so Berki could speak to police again, but noted Brand's lawyers had not engaged since May. She concluded by saying she was "pleased and relieved" that Brand had finally received justice.
Sources
This article is based on reporting by the outlets below.
