A London judge sentenced Russell Brand to 10 years and six months in prison on Monday, four days after a jury convicted the comedian of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Mr Justice Joel Bennathan passed sentence at Southwark Crown Court. He told Brand he had become a sexual predator as he rose to fame two decades ago, and said he showed an arrogant disregard for a woman’s right to say no.
The jury convicted Brand on Thursday after a four-week trial. The offences involved four women and took place between 2004 and 2009, during the height of his fame as a television and radio presenter.
The rape conviction relates to a 21-year-old fan Brand met after a stand-up show at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2009. The judge handed him nine years for that count. The three sexual assault sentences, of 18 months, nine months and eight months, run concurrently with each other and consecutively to the rape term.
Brand, 51, must serve two-thirds of the sentence before he can be released on licence. He will remain on the sex offenders register for life.
He pleaded not guilty and denied all the charges. The jury acquitted him of two further counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed last week that officers are investigating two further rape allegations against Brand. Prosecutors had asked the judge for a minimum term of 12 years.
Source: USA Today
