Prosecutors agreed to leave Katy Perry out of their opening statement in Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault trial after his lawyers objected to mentioning their relationship.
Details of the decision became public after reporting restrictions were lifted after the trial concluded Thursday, Nov. 5, according to The Telegraph.
Brand, 51, was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault at London's Southwark Crown Court. Jurors acquitted him of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. He had pleaded not guilty to all seven charges and denied engaging in nonconsensual sexual activity.
"The prosecution recognise that matters post 2009 involving his relationship with Katy Perry may be sensitive,
as may his previous faiths, and we are content to remove these from the opening," lead prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC wrote in pretrial submissions, The Telegraph reported.
Perry was not asked to provide a witness statement during the investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed to Sky News. Senior prosecutor David Roberts said investigators had pursued all reasonable lines of inquiry relevant to the charges, according to the outlet.
The omission from the opening statement did not keep Perry's name out of the trial altogether. Brand mentioned their marriage while testifying, telling jurors the relationship brought him "staggering fame."
Perry and Brand began dating in 2009 and married in a Hindu ceremony in Rajasthan, India, in 2010. They separated by the end of 2011.
The crimes for which Brand was convicted involved four women and occurred between 2004 and 2009, before the couple married, according to a Crown Prosecution Service statement. Prosecutors said testimony from the women and other witnesses helped establish his behavior during a period when his entertainment career was expanding.
Roberts said in the statement that Brand "used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes" and thanked the women for coming forward.
Brand was denied bail and remained in custody ahead of sentencing scheduled for Monday, Nov. 9. Judge Joel Bennathan said he faced a lengthy prison term.
In England and Wales, a rape conviction can carry a maximum of life imprisonment, though sentencing guidelines list an offense range of four to 19 years in custody. Sexual assault convictions can result in up to 10 years in prison.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800-656-HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
Contributing: Liza Esquibias, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Russell Brand's lawyers wanted his Katy Perry marriage left out of trial
