British comedian Russell Brand was sentenced on Monday to 10 years and six months in prison at London’s Southwark Crown Court following his conviction for rape and sexual assaults against four women.
Judge Sentences Brand After Conviction
Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand that he displayed a casual and arrogant disregard for women during a trial that established his pattern of abuse between 2004 and 2009.
Brand’s faith seemed genuine to me at the time when I was a guest at his private baptism. I have attended a few now. Even visiting in prisons with people who have committed terrible crimes. It's part of our calling as men and women of faith, to love and serve anyone. It is the…
Senior prosecutor David Roberts described the comedian to be a calculated sexual predator using his growing fame and power to create situations in which he could pursue women sexually regardless of what they wanted,
according to NPR. Brand was acquitted of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.
One woman, raped by Brand in 2009 after meeting him at a comedy show, told the court she lived with constant anxiety and feared she might have contracted HIV, according to Yahoo reporting.
Another woman who was sexually assaulted in 2004 or 2005 stated in court that Brand was a sexual predator lacking any remorse, while a third woman attacked during a Channel 4 filming project said the incident left her feeling powerless and robbed of her trust in people. During the proceedings, victims read impact statements describing the lasting trauma of the assaults.
Brand’s wife, Laura Gallacher, attended court regularly and testified that when they first started dating in 2006, she was well aware of his promiscuity from newspaper reports and noted that monogamy was difficult for him, while also defending him as a wonderful father to their three children.
Throughout the trial, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones read statements from victims detailing the severe personal consequences of the crimes, which included intense anxiety, required therapy, and prolonged emotional distress.
Police Continue Investigation Into Allegations
Metropolitan Police superintendent Andy Furphy praised the complainants for their bravery in coming forward after a joint 2003 investigation by Channel 4, The Sunday Times, and The Times aired accusations of sexual misconduct and initiated the police inquiries.
This verdict is first and foremost a testament to the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who reported what happened to them,
Furphy said, as reported by NPR.
British culture minister Lisa Nandy called the conviction a wake-up call regarding the exploitation of women by powerful figures within the media industry.
London police have confirmed they are investigating additional allegations from two other women.
In the UK, Rape Crisis can be reached on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the United States, Rainn offers confidential support through its helpline at 800-656-4673.
Earlier coverage: Russell Brand Convicted of Rape and Sexual Assault