Comedian Russell Brand Sentenced to 10.5 Years
Judge cites aggravating factors in London trial where comedian was found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults.
By Peter Graham ·
Russell Brand received a prison sentence of ten years and six months on Monday at Southwark Crown Court in London.
The 51-year-old comedian was convicted last week on four of seven counts brought against him. A jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Judge Justice Bennathan delivered the ruling live on camera. He described Brand as having become a sexual predator during the sentencing remarks.
The judge paused to pay tribute to the determination and bravery of the women who came forward. He then ordered Brand to be taken to the cells.
The rape conviction involves a woman Brand met at one of his shows in 2009. The sexual assault convictions cover incidents at a bar, a radio station, and a TV studio between 2004 and 2009.
Brand denies all charges and maintains that he never engaged in non-consensual sex. He has described himself as a fundamentally different person from the man at the time of the crimes.
Four women who brought the case provided victim impact statements to the court. Three statements were read by the prosecution, while one woman read her own statement from behind a curtain.
One complainant said the experience feels never-ending and that she doubts her ability to make good decisions. She stated that Brand’s fame made her believe she would not be believed if she reported him.
Another woman, assaulted at a bar in 2004, said the confusion of what she should or could do has stayed with her for over 20 years. She described feeling physically sick when seeing Brand in the press as his fame grew.
A third complainant noted that the assault had a lasting impact on her life. She said hearing Brand’s voice on television or seeing his image has made her jump over the years.
The fourth woman, assaulted at a TV studio where they worked together, said she felt her working environment was unsafe after the incident.
Prosecutors argued for a long sentence, citing aggravating circumstances in the anal rape case. They noted that Brand removed a condom during the incident. The defense countered that Brand has changed significantly since the offenses occurred between 2004 and 2009.
