Russell Brand is being investigated over new abuse claims, it can now be revealed after the 'staggeringly arrogant' sexual predator was jailed for more than ten years yesterday.
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predator → investigate → years
Police have received 'multiple reports' of sexual abuse since the 51-year-old comedian and actor was convicted of raping one woman and assaulting three others.
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comedian → receive → others
Last night former girlfriend Jemima Goldsmith, 52, became the latest to come forward, accusing Brand of 'violence, coercive control and abuse'.
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Goldsmith → become → violence
She said she was so terrified after a 'violent incident' in 2014 that she called police to remove him from her £15million Cotswolds mansion.
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she → say → mansion
An unrepentant Brand yesterday showed no emotion as a judge said he had abused his celebrity to prey on women, believing 'fame meant you could act how you liked, when you liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live'.
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people → show → which
In the dock, Brand sat blinking in disbelief as he was told that he will serve at least seven years of a ten-and-a-half-year sentence for attacks on four women between 2004 and 2009.
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he → sit → 2004
His wife Laura Gallacher visibly crumpled in the public gallery, falling forward in her seat and fighting back tears.
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wife → crumple → tears
Before he was taken down to the cells, Brand mouthed to his wife 'I love you, we'll be OK', while she looked up at him, placed her hand on the glass dock wall and whispered back 'I love you'.
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I → take → you
Moments later the mother-of-three left court, hiding her red-rimmed eyes behind sunglasses as she faced difficult questions about why she is standing by the rapist.
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she → leave → rapist
When the comedian left Southwark Crown Court a short time later in a prison van, members of the public banged on the windows, with one man shouting: 'Not so funny now, Russell, are you?'
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you → leave → windows
Russell Brand is being investigated over new abuse claims, it can now be revealed after the 'staggeringly arrogant' sexual predator was jailed for more than ten years yesterday
Jemima Goldsmith has accused rapist Russell Brand of 'violence, coercive control and abuse' after it emerged she and the disgraced comedian gagged a massage therapist for more than a decade.
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she → investigate → decade
The pair are pictured together in 2013
An unrepentant Brand yesterday showed no emotion as a judge said he had abused his celebrity to prey on women, believing 'fame meant you could act how you liked, when you liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live'
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people → picture → which
Brand now faces the prospect of a second trial as police sift through a raft of new claims, and prosecutors are expected to decide within weeks whether to charge him with two further alleged rapes, including an attack on a 16-year-old.
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prosecutors → face → old
Yesterday Mr Justice Bennathan said the defendant had harboured a 'casual arrogant disregard to any woman's right to say no to you', telling him: 'About 20 years ago, Russell Brand, you were becoming famous, you were clever, and in many people's eyes you were funny and charismatic.
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you → say → eyes
You had also become a sexual predator.'
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You → become → ?
The judge blasted Brand's 'staggering arrogance' and belief his 'status protected' him after he resorted to smearing journalists when they first exposed his attacks in 2023.
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they → blast → 2023
He also criticised Brand's entourage for indulging 'dreadful behaviour' after assaults took place in front of staff who laughed or did nothing.
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who → criticise → nothing
He paid tribute to the 'determination and bravery' of the victims.
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He → pay → victims
'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,' he said.
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he → have → instructions
Mr Justice Bennathan made a point of condemning rape myths after Brand's defence barrister came under fire for reeling off a series of stereotypes, suggesting the victims should not be believed because they did not scream more, kick or slap him.
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they → make → him
The judge said: 'Whatever women wear, wherever they go, indeed whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no and to demand justice from the criminal courts when sexual predators like you, Russell Brand, act without their consent.'
Brand's barrister, Ian Winter, KC, was paid around £1million for defending him, legal sources have told the Daily Mail.
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sources → say → Mail
The fraud specialist was hired after several top female barristers refused to defend him, it is understood.
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it → hire → him
But the move backfired, with Mr Winter facing a Bar Standards Board probe after launching a foul-mouthed tirade at the journalist whose investigation exposed Brand, telling her after the verdict that she had 'f*****' justice.
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she → backfire → justice
Laura (centre) fought back tears as she left court on Monday, holding hands with a friend
Brand with his wife at Southwark Crown Court last Thursday, hours before he was convicted
Some members of the public yelled abuse at a security van thought to be holding Brand as it left the court, banging on its side... with one man shouting: 'Not so funny now Russell.'
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man → fight → side
Andy Burnham is now promising to change the law, saying he will be 'relentless in making whatever improvements' to provide more support for victims.
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he → promise → victims
In court yesterday Mr Winter claimed his client had been unfairly portrayed as a 'monster', telling the judge that Brand should be regarded as a man who had a 'short, momentary total failure' to respect a woman's consent.
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who → claim → consent
Despite Brand's conviction for rape, Mr Winter raised eyebrows among those in the court when he suggested his client should be sentenced 'not in the way that he has been portrayed over the last four days [as someone] who is, in general terms, a rapist'.
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who → raise → terms
He told the court that Brand's wife Laura – the sister of TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher and daughter of Ryder Cup-winning golfer Bernard Gallacher – was devastated and struggling how to tell their children the truth.
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wife → tell → truth
He said: 'I'm afraid words are completely inadequate to truly try to convey to your Lordship the total devastation she's experiencing.
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she → say → devastation
Currently (they) are wrestling with how to exactly explain to a child who's just turned ten what has happened here.'
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what → wrestle → child
Brand will serve two-thirds of his prison sentence before being released on licence.
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Brand → serve → licence
He is expected to consult lawyers about an appeal, but legal sources say the jury's mixed verdicts will make it difficult to persuade appeal judges.
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it → expect → judges
Brand was found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults, but cleared of two further rapes and an attempted indecent assault.
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Brand → find → rapes
One source said: 'In a way it would have been easier for Winter if there had been a clean sweep of guilty verdicts, at least then he could have argued that Brand did not get a fair trial because of the Channel 4 Dispatches and Sunday Times investigation.
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Brand → say → investigation
The mixed verdicts show the jury reached their verdicts on the facts, regardless of the media attention, which makes an appeal very tricky.'
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appeal → show → attention
Following the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy appealed for Brand's victims to come forward.
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victims → follow → sentencing
He said: 'I want to make a direct appeal to anyone who has been a victim of rape or any other sexual offence.
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who → say → rape
We know it can take enormous courage to speak about what has happened to you, no matter how long ago it occurred or who was responsible.
'
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who → know → you
If you come forward, you will be listened to, supported and treated with care and compassion.'
How did Russell Brand become a predator?
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Brand → come → care
What comes next?
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What → come → ?
…and 9 more, not listed.