British comedian Russell Brand has been jailed for 10 years and six months after a jury convicted him of rape and three sexual assaults against four women.
Judge Joel Bennathan handed down the sentence on Monday at Southwark Crown Court in London. He described Brand as a “sexual predator” whose fame had protected him from accountability.
The judge said Brand had acted with “staggering arrogance” and shown “contempt” for his victims, who suffered significant and lasting harm.
He also praised the women who came forward, describing their actions as brave. Addressing Brand, the judge said he had acted “how you liked and when you liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live”.
Brand showed little emotion as the court announced his sentence. His wife, Laura Gallacher, with whom he has three children, slumped in her seat in the public gallery. As officers led him away, Brand told his wife, who had supported him throughout the trial, “we’ll be OK”.
Before sentencing, one of the victims read her impact statement from behind a screen. Brand held prayer beads and made the sign of the cross as she spoke.
The woman said the assault, which took place in a London bar in 2004, had left her “traumatised”. She told the court that Brand’s growing fame had made it difficult to avoid seeing him celebrated in the media for his behaviour towards women
“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,” she said.
Another victim, a 21-year-old fan who Brand raped in 2009 after they met at one of his shows, said she feared she would not be believed if she reported the assault.
“His fame, wealth and influence created a power imbalance which made me feel powerless,” she said.
She added that the rape had “affected almost every aspect of my life”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the victims’ bravery could lead to wider changes in the legal system. He pledged to be “relentless in making whatever improvements we can” to improve support for victims. He also called for specialist teams in every police force to handle rape and serious sexual offences.
Brand was convicted of one rape and three sexual assaults committed against four women between 2004 and 2009. However, the jury cleared him of two other rape allegations and one count of attempted indecent assault. He is also facing further investigations after London police confirmed they were investigating rape allegations made by two other women.
Brand denied the charges during the trial. However, he admitted being “extremely promiscuous” and using his fame to “facilitate sexual access”.
The comedian rose to fame in the 2000s through major British media organisations, including Channel 4, MTV and BBC Radio 2. His outspoken personality and frequent discussions about sex became part of his public image.
He left the BBC after sending sexually explicit messages to a well-known actor about having slept with the actor’s granddaughter. The BBC apologised last week for the “culture and failings” during Brand’s time at the broadcaster between 2006 and 2008.
Brand later moved into Hollywood after a brief marriage to US pop star Katy Perry in 2010. He also became a left-wing commentator and campaigner before reinventing himself as an online Christian figure. The court found him guilty of sexually assaulting women who worked for MTV, Channel 4 and Capital Radio, as well as raping a fan.
His conviction has also raised questions about how major media organisations allowed his behaviour to continue for years. On Sunday, British Culture Minister Lisa Nandy described the case as a “wake-up call”. She warned that men in positions of power continued to exploit women in the media industry.
