► Russell Brand detailed the “devastating” impact rape allegations have had on his life at court on Wednesday recalling one incident where he was blocked from entering a hospital where his son was being treated.

The 51-year-old is on trial accused of three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted indecent assault. He denies all of the charges.

Today was the first time he has given evidence.

Mr Brand said he was banned from a hospital where his baby was receiving open heart surgery and other treatments, with the hospital being “unclear about what particular legal reason that was”.

He said he was told “they had to bar my attendance and presence.”

Mr Brand said the allegations also led to friends and colleagues turning against him and he had focussed on recalling events “at the expense of my marriage, my children and my health”.

The former comedian told the court that he was “in a position of fame, a successful person” and that he “misused that commodity foolishly”, but “consensually”.

He added that he “was very comfortable allowing that to facilitate sexual access” and that he acknowledged it was “wrong”.

He told jurors he “dedicated” a lot of his life to “reckless philandering”.

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