A former associate of Russell Brand who has been accused of watching and laughing while the comedian sexually assaulted a woman has been asked to “step back” from the company while they “consider the events surrounding the trial”.
Jack Bayles, the head of comedy at independent TV production company Various Artists Limited (VAL), will no longer work on two sitcoms the business was making for the BBC.
Brand, 51, is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others during his showbusiness career.
Mr Bayles, a former associate of Brand’s, had been involved in the production of BBC sitcoms Such Brave Girls and Push through his work at VAL.
He also previously produced the Channel 4 sitcom Catastrophe.
On Thursday, Brand was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman while recording a project for Channel 4.
His trial heard that in 2009, Mr Bayles and Gareth Roy, another member of Brand’s team, forced a young female staffer to give him a massage.
When she had reluctantly agreed, Brand thrust his head into her groin and only got up again when apparently insulted that she had commented on his “bony” body, the court heard.
“I was so repulsed by the situation,” she told the trial, and said she complained afterwards to her Channel 4 bosses.
A statement from Various Artist Limited said: “We have asked Jack Bayles to step back from the company while we consider the verdict and events surrounding the trial.
“Our thoughts, though, are primarily with every one of Brand’s victims at this time.”
When contacted for comment, the BBC referred the Press Association to VAL.
Mr Bayles told The Times in a statement: “I am appalled and sickened by Brand’s actions and have co-operated fully and voluntarily with the investigation and endeavoured to assist as best I can.
“However, I do not remember the incident that took place 17 years ago in 2009.
“But I acknowledge that I clearly missed something at the time and did not see nor recognise that it caused distress. For that I am sincerely sorry.
“At the time of the offence, I was in the early stages of my career, and it was a frantic, pressured and toxic working environment.
“Brand was chaotic, dismissive and manipulated the people around him.
“It was due to that, that I made the decision to stop working with him in 2010 and have not had any contact with him since.
“During my time working with Brand, no complaints were made to me about his behaviour, and I am unaware if any were raised to anyone else more senior to me.
“I would never willingly or proactively wish to make anyone feel uncomfortable, unsafe or unsupported at work.
“If I was ever present when Brand acted inappropriately and I failed to spot it and step in, then I sincerely apologise.”
Brand preyed on women he encountered while becoming one of Britain’s best-known stand-up comedians, a lauded TV and radio host, and a Hollywood movie star.
His victims came to court to reveal how Brand had forced them into sexual activity, sometimes within seconds of them first meeting, using his fame to determinedly pursue a goal of sex with 5,000 women.
Southwark Crown Court heard Brand, who once boasted he would not relent in his pursuit of sex before getting his “birthright orgasm”, ignored pleas from women for him to stop.
Six women gave evidence against Brand, while the former comedian, who was once married to Katy Perry, could not persuade any of his celebrity friends or former showbiz colleagues to give evidence in his defence.
On Thursday, a jury found Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
He was cleared of two further charges of rape and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.
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