British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for rape and sexual assaults, four days after a jury found him guilty.
The 51-year-old was sentenced on Monday at Southwark Crown Court in London by Judge Joel Bennathan, who described him as a sexual predator with a “casual, arrogant disregard” for women’s wishes.
The judge said Brand’s public status had shielded him from accountability until 2023, when allegations of sexual assault against him were reported in the British media.
“Your status protected you until 2023,” Bennathan said during the sentencing hearing.
Brand was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault following a trial in which six women testified about incidents they said occurred between 2004 and 2009.
Under British sentencing guidelines, the rape conviction carried a possible life sentence. However, judges have discretion when determining prison terms, with sentences for rape typically ranging from four to 19 years.
The latest sentence follows years of allegations against Brand, which came into public focus in 2023.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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