One of the women who claims she was raped by Russell Brand in 1999 today spoke about what she says happened to her. She said he attacked her in a hotel room after she met him at the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth. She told the jury at Southwark Crown Court that he pulled her onto a bed, pressed himself on top of her, ripped her clothes down and raped her. She said she felt dirty, shocked and stupid, and for over 20 years she blocked it from her mind until she came forward to report it to the police in 2023. Caroline and Liz were in court as the evidence unfolded.

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Presenters: Caroline Cheetham and Liz Hull

Editor: Tom James and Chelsey Ranore

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"Ruthless, calculating, manipulative, a sexual predator." Those are the words used today to describe Russell Brand. As the prosecution opened their case in London, Russell Brand was accused of not caring what state he left his victims in, in his quest to satify his "insatiable desire" to get what he wanted. He's accused of raping and sexually assaulting women over a decade. It's alleged none of them consented to his attacks and some of them begged him to stop. Caroline and Liz were in court as details of the allegations started to emerge.

Some of the content today may be upsetting.

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Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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It's Day 2 of Russell Brand's trial and the 12 people who will decide his fate have been selected. Russell Brand looked on from the dock as the jury of 8 men and 4 women all swore to try his case according to the evidence. They were told by the judge not to disucss the case outside of the jury, to carry out their own research, or to be swayed by the views of others. And they were warned to ignore media coverage of the case. Caroline and Liz were there to see it unfold.

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Presenters: Caroline Cheetham and Liz Hull

Editor: Tom James and Chelsey Ranore

Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham

Assistant Producer: Harriet Muckle

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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It’s Day 1. The start of Russell Brand’s trial in London. He’s accused of several counts of rape and sexual assault - which he denies. As things got underway, Russell Brand, wearing a blue suit, an open neck shirt and a cravat, stood in the dock. The first order of business was to select the jury and Caroline and Liz were there.

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Presenters: Caroline Cheetham and Liz Hull

Editor: Tom James and Chelsey Ranore

Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham

Assistant Producer: Harriet Muckle

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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A new trial and a new series with Caroline and Liz. This time it’s Russell Brand in the dock facing charges of rape and sexual assault. It’s alleged that over 10 years from 1999 to 2009 he sexually assaulted 6 different women. He has vowed to clear his name, saying he was many things but never a “rapist” and in the coming days and weeks a jury will be asked to decide. We’ll be there every day and in this episode we’ll run you through his rise to fame and what might unfold next week in a London courtroom.

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Presenters: Caroline Cheetham

Guest: Katie Hind and Rebecca Camber

Editor: Chelsey Ranore

Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham

Assistant Producer: Harriet Muckle

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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In this special video episode Caroline and Liz are back to discuss Lucy Letby - focusing on the facts and context of the case. Joining them in the studio is Press Association Reporter, Kim Pilling, who covered every day of the trial and believes more balance is needed in the ongoing conversations. They discuss how cherry-picking certain elements of the case, while omitting key information, has created a false narrative about what the jury actually heard over the 10-month trial and ultimately why they found Lucy Letby guilty of killing and harming babies.

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Presenters: Caroline Cheetham and Liz Hull

Guest: Kim Pilling

Editor: Tom James and Chelsey Ranore

Creative Director: Caroline Cheetham

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Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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In October 2021, David Parfett tragically found his son, Tom, dead in a hotel room in Surrey. Tom was just 22 years old.

David was determined to find the truth behind his son’s death. He followed Tom’s digital footprint and made a shocking discovery.

A man called Kenneth Law had set up an online company to exploit vulnerable people suffering from mental illness. He helped them take their own lives by sending them poison through the post.

David soon discovered that Tom wasn’t the only person to have received the lethal substance. Law had sent more than 1,200 packages to 40 countries around the world.

With the help of a journalist, David tracked down Law and confronted him about his crimes. Law was then arrested in Canada and formally admitted to causing the deaths of 73 victims from England and Wales. However, following a plea deal, Law pleaded guilty to 14 counts of aiding and abetting suicide in Canada.

In this episode, we hear from some of the victims’ families at the Supreme Court of Ontario, where a hearing took place last week. More than 50 relatives of Canadian and British victims gave incredibly moving statements to the judge. Caroline and Liz speak to David about tracking down Law and the impact his horrific actions had on his family.

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Guest: David Parfett

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Can new government measures really improve the experience of rape victims in the criminal justice system? With thousands of rape and sexual assault cases waiting to reach court, ministers are promising dedicated courtrooms, fixed trial dates and more support for victims.

In this episode, Liz speaks to senior barrister Mary Prior KC about whether the proposals can make a meaningful difference. Mary explains why delays are so damaging for both victims and those accused, the practical problems facing courts across England and Wales, and why she believes much more investment is needed to fix a system struggling under years of pressure.

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Presenter: Liz Hull

Guest: Mary Prior KC

Editor: Chelsey Ranore

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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We now know for certain, babies should not have died at the Countess of Chester Hospital. In her scathing report into the failings which allowed Lucy Letby to harm babies for months, Lady Justice Thirlwall said three babies should not have died and seven more should not have been harmed. In her scathing report she condemned a fundamental lack of understanding of basic safeguarding regulations, a “tribal” approach from nurses, and an “exercise in spin” from senior leaders to delay police being called in to investigate. She also said the parents of the babies were treated reprehensibly. In this episode Caroline and Liz have her key findings and her urgent recommendations.

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Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz Hull

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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Could Lucy Letby have been stopped sooner? Could babies have been saved? Was there an orchestrated hospital cover up? Were parents consistently lied to? Did a toxic hospital culture allow a serial killer to remain undetected for months? 

Today Lady Justice Thirlwall is likely to answer these questions and more when she publishes her long-awaited report into the failings at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

In this bonus episode Caroline and Liz dissect the key moments from the seven month inquiry as they prepare to read her findings.

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Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Liz Hull

Editor: Chelsey Ranore

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Assistant Producer: Harriet Muckle

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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Today on the podcast Caroline and Ryan have the extraordinary allegations against a Church of England Priest, who ran what's been called a "cult" service to abuse his female "disciples". Chris Brain admits having sexual relations with worshippers at the infamous Nine O'Clock Service in Sheffield in the 1980s and 1990s, but he's now accused of criminal offences. The allegation is the women he targeted were so vulnerable, isolated and frightened that they did not have the capacity to consent.

Also today, Caroline chats to Liz about the imminent report by Lady Justice Thirlwall into the crimes of Lucy Letby.

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Presenter: Caroline Cheetham and Ryan Hooper

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The Trial series uses actors and some voices generated by AI. Their words are taken as verbatim from the official court transcript.

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