Russell Brand Sentenced to 10.5 Years for Rape and Sexual Assault
Judge Joel Bennathan criticized the comedian's arrogance after a jury convicted him of attacking four accusers.
By Chioma Kuznetsov ·
Russell Brand received a sentence of ten and a half years in a British prison on Monday for rape and sexual assault. Judge Joel Bennathan presided over the sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, where he addressed the 51-year-old actor and comedian directly.
Bennathan described Brand as showing a casual and arrogant disregard for any woman who said no to him. The judge noted that about two decades ago, Brand was becoming famous and was viewed by many as clever, funny, and charismatic. Bennathan stated that during this period, Brand had also become a sexual predator.
A jury of eight men and four women found Brand guilty of attacking four of the six women who accused him. The charges covered allegations dating back to 2004. The jury cleared him of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. Brand had maintained his innocence throughout the trial, asserting that all encounters were consensual.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones argued that Brand abused the influence and power associated with his fame. Karmy-Jones told the court that Brand used this status to facilitate access to women, a condition she said was necessary for the offenses to occur. She added that his fame fed his view that he could commit such acts with impunity.
Brand showed little emotion during the hearing. He wore a gray suit with an open collar shirt and a loose white tie, keeping his long, graying hair pulled back in a bun. He clenched a crucifix in his right hand. As court officers led him away, he turned to his wife and mouthed the words, we will be OK.
Victims provided statements detailing the impact of the crimes. One woman, assaulted at a London bar in 2004, said she felt like damaged goods and was visibly sick seeing Brand paraded in the media. Another woman, who was anally raped at Brand's home in 2009, described feeling powerless due to the power imbalance created by his fame and wealth.
Defense lawyer Ian Winter urged the judge to consider Brand's good character, citing a 1995 conviction for marijuana possession and his charitable work. Winter argued that Brand should be regarded as a man who went too far after consensual sex. Brand was acquitted of raping a woman at the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth in 1999 and attempting to indecently assault a woman at an MTV office in London.
