British comedian and actor Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on Monday after being convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others in incidents spanning 2004 to 2009.
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Brand → sentence → 2009
Sentencing Brand at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Joel Bennathan said the comedian had displayed a "casual and arrogant disregard" for women and described him as a sexual predator who had used his fame and influence to gain access to victims.
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who → sentence → victims
"About 20 years ago, Russell Brand, you were becoming famous," the judge said.
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judge → become → ?
You had also become a sexual predator."
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You → become → ?
The 51-year-old showed little emotion as the sentence was announced.
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sentence → show → emotion
He was subsequently led away by court officers, briefly mouthing "I love you" to his wife, Laura Brand, as he was taken to the cells, according to BBC reporters covering the hearing.
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he → lead → hearing
Brand received nine years' imprisonment for the rape conviction.
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Brand → receive → conviction
He was also sentenced to nine months for sexually assaulting a woman at a London bar in 2004, 18 months for an assault at the Choice FM studios in 2004 or 2005, and eight months for a separate sexual assault while working on a Channel 4 project in 2009.
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He → sentence → 2009
The three sentences for sexual assault will run concurrently with one another but consecutively to the nine-year rape sentence, bringing his total prison term to 10 years and six months.
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sentences → run → years
The judge said Brand had committed sexual offences against multiple women over five years and that making all the sentences concurrent would not adequately reflect the overall gravity of his offending.
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sentences → say → offending
Judge cites arrogance and abuse of celebrity status
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Judge → cite → status
During his sentencing remarks, Bennathan said Brand's fame had helped shield his conduct until 2023, when women came forward following a joint investigation by The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme.
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women → say → Times
The judge also referred to Brand's conduct during the trial, describing some of his statements as lies.
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judge → refer → lies
Addressing the sexual assault at the Choice FM studios, he said the incident involved sustained behaviour and added humiliation in front of others.
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incident → address → others
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told the court that Brand had abused the power and influence associated with his celebrity status to facilitate access to women.
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Brand → tell → women
"He used it to facilitate an access to women without which the offending could not have taken place.
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offending → use → place
It also fed his own view that he could commit such offences with impunity," she said.
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she → feed → impunity
Defence lawyer Ian Winter had urged the court to consider Brand's previous good character, charitable work and efforts to help people overcome drug and alcohol addiction.
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people → urge → addiction
He pointed out that Brand's only previous conviction was for marijuana possession in 1995.
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conviction → point → 1995
The judge said he had taken the mitigating circumstances into account, including a character statement submitted in Brand's support, and reduced the sentence by one year.
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he → say → year
He also acknowledged that imprisonment would deprive Brand of time with his children, but said this was a consequence of his own actions.
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this → acknowledge → actions
Victims describe lasting impact of assaults
The sentencing hearing also heard statements from the women Brand was convicted of assaulting.
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Brand → describe → women
One woman, who was sexually assaulted at a birthday party at a London bar in 2004, said the incident had left her in shock and turmoil and made her feel like "damaged goods".
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her → assault → goods
She said it had been difficult to watch Brand being celebrated in the media as his career progressed, adding that his public appearances had repeatedly brought back the experience.
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appearances → say → experience
Another woman, who was raped by Brand at his home in 2009 after meeting him backstage at one of his comedy shows, said she had been left anxious and humiliated and had struggled with eating and sleeping, as well as periods of heavy drinking.
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she → rap → drinking
In a statement read to the court, she said she had initially feared she would not be believed because of Brand's fame, wealth and influence.
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she → read → fame
A third woman, who was sexually assaulted at the Choice FM studios, said the incident had a lasting impact on her life and that hearing Brand's voice or seeing his image over the years could make her jump.
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her → assault → years
The fourth woman said Brand had demanded a massage while they were working on a Channel 4 advertisement in 2009 and pressed his face into her groin.
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they → say → groin
She said she had reported the incident at the time, but her complaint was brushed aside by senior management.
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complaint → say → management
The women came forward following a 2023 investigation by The Times and Channel 4, which featured allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct against Brand.
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which → come → Brand
Brand had denied charges
Brand had maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, insisting that his sexual encounters were consensual.
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encounters → deny → proceedings
A jury comprising eight men and four women found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
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him → comprise → assault
He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.
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He → acquit → assault
Following the sentencing, detective superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police described the outcome as a significant milestone in holding Brand accountable.
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Brand → follow → milestone
He thanked the women who came forward, saying they had shown "bravery, dignity and resilience" while revisiting traumatic experiences and facing considerable public and media attention.
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they → thank → attention
The police officer said the investigation had focused on the women who reported the offences rather than Brand's celebrity status, and urged other survivors of sexual violence to come forward.
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who → say → violence
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