Russell Brand, the British television personality and Hollywood actor, was sentenced on Monday to 10 years and six months in prison. The sentence follows a verdict in which a jury found him guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. The criminal conduct occurred between 2004 and 2009.
At Southwark Crown Court in South London, a jury consisting of eight men and four women returned guilty verdicts on five counts. Brand was found guilty of groping a woman's breasts at a London bar in 2004. He was also convicted of sexually assaulting a woman at a London radio station during 2004 and 2005. Additionally, the jury determined he raped a woman at his home in west London in 2009. He was acquitted on two separate rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Judge Joel Bennathan delivered the sentencing remarks, describing Brand as a sexual predator. The judge noted that the actor displayed staggering arrogance and seemed to believe that his fame allowed him to act however and whenever he liked. For the rape conviction, Brand received a nine-year term. He was given an additional 18 months for the sexual assault offenses.
Brand is expected to serve a minimum of seven years in prison. The remainder of his sentence will be served under strict supervision, which may include wearing an electronic monitoring tag. Six women in total made allegations against the actor, with the incidents spanning a period from 1999 to 2009.
Prior to the sentencing, victim impact statements were read in court. Three statements were presented by the prosecutor, while one was read directly by a woman who was shielded from view by a screen. That woman stated she had been in shock and turmoil for years, describing herself as traumatized and lacking self-respect. She mentioned feeling like damaged goods and being afraid of giving off signals that might be misinterpreted.
Another statement read by the prosecutor labeled Brand a sexual predator without remorse. The speaker expressed hope that he would not be permitted to hurt more women. A third statement, from the woman who was raped in 2009, described how she struggled to sleep, eat, and manage her emotions following the attack.
Brand's legal team, led by Ian Winter KC, argued that their client is a fundamentally different person today than he was 17 years ago. Winter described the 2009 rape as a momentary total failure to respect the woman's consent. Brand had pleaded not guilty to all charges and suggested the claims were a coordinated attack on his character given his prominence as an online wellness influencer and political commentator.
The actor admitted to leading a promiscuous life but claimed he never forced anyone to do anything against their will. His lawyers argued that the victims' cases were weakened because they reported the incidents to police years after the encounters. During the trial, the prosecutor described Brand as a ruthless and manipulative predator.
Brand was denied bail after his conviction and remained in custody leading up to the sentencing. The judge rejected his request to be released on bail to spend time with his wife and children. Judge Bennathan stated on Thursday that while he regretted the hardship caused to the children, that hardship was a result of their father's serious criminal offending.
Following the verdicts last week, police began investigating additional rape allegations against Brand from two other women. One of these women was 16 years old at the time of the alleged incident. The head of London's Metropolitan Police said on Friday that he would not be surprised if many more women came forward with similar claims.
