As the controversy surrounding convicted rapist Russell Brand intensified last week, his most unwavering supporter remained by his side: his wife, Laura.
Wearing sunglasses and maintaining a composed appearance, she held Brand’s hand as he arrived at and left Southwark Crown Court throughout the trial. Inside Courtroom Three, she took detailed notes while six women gave harrowing and, in some cases, deeply disturbing accounts of rape and sexual assault.
Her presence appeared to send a clear message: Laura intended to stand by her husband, despite the allegations that had followed him for years and which she had chosen to hear in full during the proceedings.
Nothing she heard, however, persuaded her that he was guilty.
Now, as the disgraced former comedian and BBC Radio 2 presenter faces a lengthy prison sentence, people close to Laura’s family have told The Mail on Sunday that they are deeply worried about her wellbeing.
They claim Brand had “totally brainwashed” Laura into believing he was innocent of the serious offences for which he has been convicted.
Relatives are said to have been particularly troubled by the view that Laura, the daughter of golfing great Bernard Gallacher and his wife, Lesley, “simply didn’t believe much of what [Brand’s victims] said”.
According to those sources, she continues to support Brand and is even “determined” to see him appeal his conviction.
Laura Gallacher leaves court after husband Russell Brand is found guilty
Friends say the situation reflects a pattern they have observed during the couple’s nine-year marriage. They believe Brand, 51, used his charisma and influence to shape Laura’s view of the world, leaving her convinced that he was incapable of wrongdoing.
They also say Brand, who has since embraced Christianity and built a spiritual YouTube channel with 6.6 million largely US-based subscribers, played a central role in Laura’s decision to find religion.
Those close to the family now feel a measure of relief that Brand’s imprisonment could give Laura, 39, space to live independently of his influence. They hope that, with time, she may come to recognise the hold he had over her.
They also hope she will eventually reconsider her belief that he is innocent.
“Russell gets what Russell wants,” one family friend said. “He has that charm and swagger, and Laura is besotted with him. She goes along with what he wants; it’s as though he has totally brainwashed her.
“But now she will be separated from him for what could be many years. That will stop, and it is a huge relief to those who love Laura. This is her chance, if she chooses to take it, to build a life with someone far, far nicer than Russell.”
Laura’s unwavering support was apparent to observers throughout the trial, increasing the concern felt by those closest to her.
Arriving each day in a blacked-out people carrier, she appeared to become increasingly angry as she listened to the women’s evidence. Sources claim she regarded their accounts as lies. The couple’s regular online programme, Sunday Service With The Brands, has also highlighted her devotion to Brand. The homespun Christian show features Bible readings, prayers and spiritual discussions, alongside conversations about marriage and family.
In one video uploaded two weeks ago, while the trial was under way, a fresh-faced Laura looks directly at Brand as he refers to the “very, very unusual time in our marriage”. She nods as he speaks about the need for “true justice”.
The couple on their religious-themed Sunday morning podcast
The couple maintain eye contact as Laura describes putting on her “armour” before attending court in south London.
“I already get nervous driving around the corner,” she says. “As soon as you see the name of the street… on Battlebridge [Lane], you don your armour. That’s what I feel. I immediately start to think, this is it now, this is it. Get into shape, get into your strength.”
In another video filmed with Brand, Laura discusses her discomfort at being placed in front of cameras but says she feels “the presence of God” during such moments. She was also seen praying inside the courtroom.
Brand’s conviction on Thursday appeared to leave her “shocked and extremely upset”, according to sources. He was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women between 2005 and 2009. Laura had to leave court alone after Brand was remanded in custody.
She is reportedly drawing some comfort from the fact that Brand was acquitted of two further rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.
“Laura has been in shock ever since the jury convicted Russell,” one friend said.
“She believes he is innocent and sees the split verdict as proof. He was cleared of three of the seven charges, which means, in Laura’s view, that the jury did not believe half of the women.”
Sources say Laura is also angry that Brand was sent to HMP Wandsworth, preventing him from spending the weekend with her and their children. She reportedly believes he has been treated unfairly.
After Brand was taken into custody on Thursday night, Laura stayed at her parents’ home in Ascot, Berkshire. The following morning, she returned to the property she shared with him near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, around 20 miles away.
The family has spent much of its time in Florida, although Laura is expected to remain in Britain to stay close to Brand while he serves his sentence.
The Gallacher family, including Laura’s older sister, former Sky Sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher, are said to be supporting Laura and her three children: Mabel, nine, Peggy, seven, and their three-year-old son, whose name has not been made public.
“Laura’s loved ones are concentrating on her and the children, and on what happens to them now,” the source said.
There are also ongoing criminal investigations that could result in further charges. Brand faces rape allegations from two additional women, including a 16-year-old girl, which are being examined by the Metropolitan Police.
The development has strengthened the family’s desire to keep Laura close and, ideally, bring her nearer to them in Henley.
“It’s very possible Russell will face another trial, so Laura will want to support him through that. But it is far too early to know what the future holds,” the family friend said.
Ms Gallacher’s father, former golfer Bernard Gallacher, went to Brand’s trial to support his daughter
“Kirsty and Laura are close, so it makes sense for Laura to be here, near her husband and her family, while everyone waits to see what happens.”
The scandal has been “very difficult” for the entire family and has left Bernard, who captained Europe’s Ryder Cup team three times, “heartbroken”. It has also taken a significant toll on Lesley.
For Kirsty, who had grown particularly close to Brand, his downfall has been deeply shocking.
She is also understood to have believed he was innocent. Friends say she feels guilty because her professional connection to Brand — the pair shared a management team — led to Laura meeting him at a gig when she was 19.
Friends say Brand became a source of support for Kirsty after her 2015 divorce from former England rugby player Paul Sampson and again after her drink-driving conviction two years later.
“Kirsty has been very open about Russell being someone she turned to for advice,” a friend of the Gallacher family said. “She described him as a sounding board during difficult periods, and there were several of those. She struggled particularly after the drink-driving conviction.”
“Russell was always available to advise her. In return, she stood by him and believed he was innocent of the appalling crimes of which he was accused.
“She adored Russell. He played the role of the wise old owl, and she said she felt incredibly fortunate to have him in her life. She had always been pleased that she introduced him to Laura; now she feels a degree of guilt.”
People who knew Laura before her relationship with Brand remember her as a cheerful, fun-loving young woman who laughed easily.
The pair briefly dated after Kirsty introduced them, before reconnecting a decade later in 2015 after an unexpected meeting on London’s Grand Union Canal. Brand had recently split from his first wife, US pop singer Katy Perry.
Laura became pregnant soon afterwards and left the restaurant industry to write and illustrate children’s books. She also began blogging about motherhood and family life.
In April last year, shortly before Brand was charged, he announced that the family had moved into a rented £1 million mansion in Florida as he continued expanding his American audience.
Sources believe Laura could continue presenting the couple’s YouTube programme without him. “It’s the kind of thing that would make Russell happy,” one friend said.
Whether Laura will ultimately change her view of Brand’s guilt is a question her family and friends can only leave to time and his continued absence.
“There is still so much that could happen,” the source said. “You can’t help thinking Laura’s life would have been far less painful if they had never met.”
