Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison.
The 51-year-old comedian-and-actor appeared at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Monday (09.11.26) to hear his fate after a jury convicted him on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault and Mr Justice Bennathan branded him a “sexual predator” who had shown “staggering arrogance” and “casual disrespect” around his victims as he handed out the lengthy prison term.
Brand was sentenced to nine years behind bars for the rape charge, and nine months, 18 months, and eight months for the sexual assault offences, which will be served at the same time.
He was told he must serve two-thirds of his total sentence before being eligible for parole.
Delivering his sentencing remarks, the judge told him: “In many people’s eyes you were funny and charismatic. You had also become a sexual predator. Your status protected you until 2023 when journalists collected and published allegations…
“Those public declarations you were a sex offender allowed a number of women to come forward and tell their stories of your activities many years before….
“[In sentencing], I make clear that I disregard the allegations in the documentary and the allegations in the recent trial of which the jury were not sure and found you not guilty…”
The judge explained he planned to reduce Brand’s sentence by a year due to mitigating factors including no crimes being reported in the last 17 years and evidence supporting his good character, including work with those battling addiction.
Brand was supported in court by his wife Laura and his father, Ron Brand, who were both in court to hear the sentence.
He showed no response as he was led down to the cells but mouthed to his wife: “I love you.”
Brand had been accused of seven offences over 10 years from 1999 to 2009, and had denied all allegations.
He was found guilty of one count of sexual assault relating to a party in a Soho bar in 2004, where he was accused of grabbing a woman’s breasts, and another sexual assault on a complainant at Choice FM in the summer of 2004 or 2005.
Brand was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman while she was working on a Channel 4 project, when he was accused of putting his head in her lap with his mouth and nose in her “vaginal area”.
The guilty count of rape related to Brand anally raping a 21 year old at his London home between the winter and spring of 2009, having previously met her at his Hammersmith Apollo gig.
During the sentencing hearing, the court heard the women’s victim impact statements.
The complainant involved in the Soho bar incident told the court: “I felt like my life has been on hold.
“A leopard may change its spots, but at the end of the day it is still a leopard … For many years as his star was rising it was impossible to escape seeing him all over the media, being celebrated for his disgusting behaviour against women like it was all a joke.
“There were many times I felt visibly sick at the sight of him parading around think he can get away with anything … “
The victim who was attacked at the radio station told the court: “Russell Brand is a sexual predator who has no remorse for how his behaviour has affected my life. I just hope that he is not allowed to hurt any more women.”
A statement was also given by the victim of the rape, who told the court she felt “unsafe and unable to cope on my own” after the attack, adding: “Even now I feel I am living with the trauma of what happened.
“I lost respect for myself. I felt as though I had lost control over my own life. Looking back I felt I abandoned myself and my own needs.”
After the jury returned their verdicts on Thursday (05.11.26), the judge had told Brand to “sit down” and prepare for a potentially lengthy custodial sentence.
He told the shamed star: “Given the verdict on count six at least, obviously a custodial sentence of some length will result … You’ve been convicted of a number of offences including rape. The consequence of that is inevitably a significant custodial term.
“My current view is that I therefore have to remand you into custody.”
Brand was remanded in custody and he was held at London’s HMP Wandsworth until Monday’s sentencing hearing.
