Lucy Powell calls cross-examination of Russell Brand's victims "depressing"

Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell has described the cross-examination of Russell Brand's victims during his trial as "depressing". Speaking on the LBC radio station, she said she thought courts had "long gone past that sort of culture" when it comes to cross-examining rape victims. Cross-examination is the questioning of a witness by the opposing side in court.

Brand was jailed for ten and a half years after being sentenced for raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others. The sentencing hearing included arguments from his legal team about his conduct and how the offences should be viewed.

Brand's barrister, Ian Winter KC, a senior barrister, suggested that Brand must be innocent because none of his victims had "resisted or screamed or even tried to leave". In mitigation, the arguments made to reduce a sentence, Winter described the anal rape of a 21-year-old woman as a "short and momentary failure" in which "he did not respect her consent", according to The Guardian.

The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, said Brand's victims had suffered additional suffering because of conduct in court "on your instructions".

Powell also addressed Brand's 2015 interview with Ed Miliband, then the Labour leader, which was held while Brand was promoting his book Revolution. Powell, who was Labour's campaign chief at the time, said she and Miliband regretted the interview. Speaking to Sky News, she said that when the interview was set up she had not understood the full extent of Brand's sexual conduct, which was already in the public domain, including in his autobiography.

Powell said the government had taken steps in guidance to challenge myths around rape and victim-blaming.