photo copyrightElizabeth Cook/Press Association
A court in London sentenced British actor and comedian Russell Brand to 10 and a half years in prison for rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Last week, a jury found him guilty on four counts.
The sentencing judge called Brand a “sexual predator” who lied repeatedly and showed “astonishing brazenness.”
Russell Brand arrived at Southwark Crown Court on Monday morning from prison, where he had been held after being convicted of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
At the morning hearing, speeches from the victims were heard - one of them spoke in court in person, behind a curtain; only the judge could see her. The testimonies of the others were read out.
The victim, who came forward in person, said Russell Brand's actions left her "in a state of shock and dismay for weeks."
Another victim, whose statement was read by the prosecutor, said Brand's criminal actions "had a lasting impact" on her life.
The third victim's statement described how she "had difficulty sleeping and eating" after Brand raped her in 2009 and she had to temporarily leave her job and live with her parents: "I live with the trauma that I deal with every day."
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The fourth victim described in her statement how she "lost trust in people" after being sexually assaulted by Brand.
Photo copyright: Reuters
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On November 5, a jury at Southwark Crown Court found Brand, 51, guilty of four counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The actor denied all accusations and maintains his innocence.
In total, Brand was charged with seven counts of crimes against six women, allegedly occurring between 1999 and 2009, when the actor was actively building a career in British show business.
Russell Brand's acting career includes the romantic comedy Down Under, voice acting for the cartoons Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2, and the comedy Escape from Vegas.
From 2010 to 2012, Brand was married to singer Katy Perry.
In recent years, Russell Brand has run a YouTube channel and shared conspiracy theories.
Brand's attention was brought to the attention of the police by the 2023 investigation, which was jointly conducted by the Times and Sunday Times newspapers and Channel 4. Brand also called it a conspiracy.
How the process went
Russell Brand's trial began on October 12. The jury heard testimony from victims, witnesses and the actor himself.
On the first day of the trial, prosecutors laid out details of seven alleged sex crimes against British actor and comedian Russell Brand by six women.
The prosecutor called Brand a "sexual predator" whose "intense desire for sexual contact was promiscuous and insatiable."
On October 28, after testimony from alleged victims and witnesses, the actor himself addressed the jury.
He said the allegations against him were a “deeply traumatic” experience and had a “devastating” impact on his life.
He stressed that he considers sexual consent a “fundamental principle.”
In his closing argument, Brand's lawyer said the prosecution had presented no evidence that his client was "a psychopath who rapes people and thinks it's normal."
As BBC correspondents reported from the courtroom on Thursday, during the announcement of the decision to find him guilty, Brand sat completely motionless, showing no emotion.
New charges
Russell Brand is also the subject of a new investigation into allegations of rape recently made by two women, it has been revealed.
Journalists learned that he had already been questioned by police in connection with these statements.
“The suspect was previously questioned with a formal warning of his rights in connection with the charges,” police said in a statement.
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Police also said the allegations from both women have been passed on to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Brand will likely spend two-thirds of his sentence in prison: Offenders sentenced to four years or more for some serious violent or sexual offenses are typically released after two-thirds of their sentence has been served.
Once released, he will likely spend the remainder of his sentence under supervision and will be required to follow certain rules, such as wearing an electronic bracelet.
Brand will also not be included in the British government's new early release program. Sexual abusers, along with murderers, are excluded.
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