Russell Brand has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years for raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three TV and radio workers during his rise to international fame. Brand, now 51, abused his celebrity status to prey on women and was convicted after a trial at Southwark Crown Court of abuse against four victims.
One of his fans told how she was raped as a 21-year-old by Brand in 2009 at his luxury London home, while female staffers at Channel 4, MTV, and Capital Radio came forward to reveal how they had been sexually assaulted by the TV star.
On Monday, Mr Justice Bennathan slammed Brand’s “staggering arrogance” as he sentenced him to 10-and-a-half years in prison for rape and three counts of sexual assault.
The judge told Brand: “About 20 years ago Russell Brand, you were becoming famous, you were clever, and in many people’s eyes you were funny and charismatic. You had also become a sexual predator.”
“Your status protected you until 2023 when journalists collected and published the allegations that were broadcast as a Channel 4 documentary and in articles in the Times newspapers.
“Those public declarations that you were a sex offender empowered a number of women to come forward and tell their stories of your activities many years before. I now have to sentence you for the crimes you committed against four women between 2004 and 2009.”
The judge then detailed each of Brand’s four attacks, including grabbing a woman’s breasts at a London bar in 2004, kissing a woman and groping her breasts and bottom at the Choice FM studios in 2005, laying his head into the groin of a female colleague while working on a Channel 4 project in 2009, and raping a 21-year-old fan at his home in 2009.
He continued: “Finally before passing sentence, I pause to pay tribute to the determination and bravery of all the women whose evidence I have been recounting.
“I do not increase your punishment because of it, but 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.
“I also commend the Metropolitan Police for their hard work in gathering evidence and taking great care of all the women who testified.”
Brand was sentenced to nine years for the rape conviction, nine months for one sexual assault, 18 months for the second sexual assault, and eight months for the third sexual assault. This gives an overall term of 10 years and six months.
The judge finished: “You will serve two thirds of that sentence then be released on licence and will be liable to be recalled into custody if you breach its terms. On your release you will also be indefinitely subject to the notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.”
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