Disgraced actor and comedian, 51, was described as a ruthless and manipulative sexual predator during trial
Russell Brand was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison on Monday after a judge praised his victims’ bravery and accused him of living “unhindered by the rules by which decent people live”.
As the judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, sentenced Brand for raping one woman and sexual assaulting three others, he said he had told the trial “a series of lies”. The disgraced comedian had displayed a “casual, arrogant disregard of any woman’s right to say no”, he said.
“About 20 years ago, Russell Brand, you were becoming famous. You were clever – and in many people’s eyes, funny and charismatic. You had also become a sexual predator,” the judge said.
“Whatever women wear, wherever they go, whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no and demand justice in the criminal courts when sexual predators like you, Mr Brand, act without their consent.”
Brand’s sentencing, the culmination of a four-week trial at Southwark crown court, came after the four women described the impact of his crimes on their lives in victim impact statements. A woman who was raped by Brand said that the attack had had lasting consequences.
“Even now, I feel that I am living with the trauma of what happened,” she said. “It is something I carry with me every day and it often feels never-ending.”
Brand, 51, appeared emotionless as he was jailed, but told his wife, Laura: “We’ll be OK,” as he was taken downstairs by the dock officers. His wife replied: “I love you,” before leaving the court in tears.
The disgraced comedian was convicted on Thursday of raping a 21-year-old fan and sexually assaulting three women in separate incidents between 2004 and 2009. He was cleared of two further charges of rape and one of attempted indecent assault.
After his convictions, the Metropolitan police revealed that Brand was under investigation over two further rape allegations.
On Monday, the judge praised the bravery of the women in the case. He also criticised Brand’s “staggering arrogance” before sentencing him to 10-and-a-half years in prison.
In his sentencing remarks which were broadcast live, Bennathan told Brand: “I pause to pay tribute to the determination and bravery of all the women whose evidence I have been recounting. I do not increase your punishment because of it, but all those women had to face being confronted and being told they had lied, or twisted the truth and, or, they had agreed to your sexual demands: that was all done because of you, on your instructions.”
