Russell Brand’s lawyer speaks out and refers himself to watchdog after ‘rant outside court’
Warning: This article contains discussion of rape and sexual which some readers may find distressing.
Russell Brand’s lawyer has reported himself to a professional regulator after confronting and swearing at a journalist following his client's conviction.
Ian Winter KC told Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin, whose investigation led to Brand’s victims coming forward, that 'I hope you are pleased with yourself'.
Urwin replied: “I’m pleased justice has been done”, before Winter said: “Well, it wasn’t. You ****** it.”
Advert
Yesterday (5 November), Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
On Friday, Winter said in a statement that he has now referred himself to the Bar Standards Board, his professional regulator.
“Having seen the ways matters have been characterised in today’s press I consider my professional duty requires me to self-report those allegations to the Bar Standards Board, so the matter can be subject to proper scrutiny,” he said.
“I have made such a report.”
Ben Taylor, editor of The Sunday Times, has since defended his newspaper’s chief news correspondent, telling Times Radio: “I found what Mr Winter did quite extraordinary.
“I have never seen or heard of a barrister behaving in this way.
“There’s a really serious point here, which is that it was not Ros who found Russell Brand guilty at Southwark Crown Court.
“It was a jury of eight men and four women who have sat through this case.
“They’ve listened to the evidence, they’ve listened to the defence, and they have gone away and they’ve come back with some very considered verdicts.
“By impugning Ros’ integrity, what Mr Winter is doing, and he should really be called to account for this, he’s impugning the integrity of the entire case.
“He’s impugning the integrity of a jury, a system that we support massively at The Sunday Times, and we have actually campaigned to protect, who have sat there solemnly and done their duty, and the judge who oversaw the case and everybody else involved. I think what he did was reprehensible.”
Brand was convicted of raping a 21-year-old fan in 2009, as well as sexually assaulting three women in separate incidents between 2004 and 2009.
The 51-year-old remains in custody and is due to be sentenced on Monday.
LADbible Group has contacted Ian Winter KC for comment.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.
Topics: UK News, Russell Brand
Anish Vij
