Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on Monday for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others between 2004 and 2009, after a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London, the BBC reported.
Brand, 51, received nine years for the rape of a 21-year-old woman at his London home in 2009. He was given 18 months for a sexual assault at the Choice FM studios in 2004 or 2005, nine months for grabbing a woman at a London bar during a birthday party in 2004, and eight months for an assault while working on a Channel 4 project in 2009.
The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, called Brand a “sexual predator” and said he had shown “staggering arrogance”. He told the court that Brand had lived “unhindered by the rules by which decent people live”, and praised the women who gave evidence against him, according to the Guardian.
In his sentencing remarks, the judge said Brand held a “casual arrogant disregard to any woman’s right to say no” and that fame had left him believing “you could act when you liked and how you liked”. Brand’s circle at the height of his celebrity had “indulged your dreadful behaviour”, he added.
Statements from the women were read to the court before sentence was passed. One said she had been in “shock and turmoil for years”. Another said: “Russell Brand is a sexual predator who has no remorse… I just hope he is not allowed to hurt any more women.”
A jury convicted Brand last week of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women. He was cleared of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault, Al Jazeera noted.
Brand must serve two-thirds of the term, about seven years, before he can be released on licence. Sex offenders are exempt from the early release scheme, and he will have to sign the sex offenders’ register.
The allegations became public in 2023, when the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches published accounts from several women. Complaints to the police followed, and Brand denied the charges throughout.
His barrister, Ian Winter KC, put forward six character references, including one from Georgina Baillie, whose family was drawn into a 2008 radio prank involving Brand. Winter said Brand’s wife, Laura Brand, was experiencing “total devastation” at the verdicts.
The judge acknowledged the effect on Brand’s family. “I am very conscious that your imprisonment will deprive your children of the presence of their father,” he said. “That sad loss to them, however, is caused by your serious offending.”
Brand showed no reaction in the dock as sentence was passed. Before he was taken down to the cells, he mouthed “I love you” to his wife, who was sitting a few feet away.
