Russell Brand sentenced to 10.5 years in prison for rape and assault

British comedian Russell Brand received a prison sentence of ten years and six months on Monday. Judge Justice Bennathan handed down the ruling at Southwark Crown Court in London. The sentence follows a jury verdict from last week that found Brand guilty on four of seven counts. The convictions include one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

The jury found that Brand raped a woman he met at one of his shows in 2009. He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting three other women between 2004 and 2009. The locations of the assaults included a bar, a radio station, and a television studio. Brand, who is 51, denied all charges and stated that he never engaged in non-consensual sex.

Before the judge delivered the final count, four women who brought the case against Brand provided victim impact statements. Three of these statements were read by the prosecution. One woman appeared in the courtroom behind a curtain to read her own statement. The complainant in the rape case described the event as something she carries with her every day. She noted that she often feels the pain is never-ending and that she no longer trusts her instincts. She said Brand's fame made her doubt she would be believed if she had reported the incident earlier.

Another woman, assaulted in 2004 when Brand grabbed her breasts at a bar, said the confusion over her actions stayed with her for more than twenty years. A third victim, assaulted in 2005, explained that hearing Brand's voice on television or seeing his image has made her jump over the years. A fourth woman, assaulted at a TV studio where they worked together, stated that the incident left her feeling her working environment was unsafe. None of the women were publicly named, and the trial was not televised.

During the sentencing hearing, Brand wore the same suit he had on during his conviction on Thursday. He sat holding white rosary beads while the victim statements were read. His wife, Laura, and his father were present in the courtroom. The prosecution argued for a long sentence, citing aggravating circumstances in the rape case, including Brand removing a condom. The defense team countered that Brand is now a fundamentally different person than he was during the time of the crimes.

In his remarks, the judge described Brand as a sexual predator. He paused to pay tribute to the determination and bravery of the women who came forward. The judge then ordered that Brand be taken down to the cells. Brand had spent the preceding weekend in prison prior to the sentencing hearing.