Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison for rape and sexual assaults against women. During sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, Mr Justice Bennathan outlined three factors in mitigation that influenced the length of the term.
The judge cited Brand's lack of previous convictions, the fact that 17 years had passed since his final offence, and how Brand had lived his life subsequently, including helping those wrestling with addictions. Mr Justice Bennathan said he had removed a year from the sentence after Brand's character statements were read out.
Judge's remarks on consent
Mr Justice Bennathan told the court: “Whatever women wear, wherever they go, whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no and demand justice in the criminal courts when sexual predators like you, Mr Brand, act without their consent.”
The judge also acknowledged the impact on Brand's family, telling him that “imprisonment will deprive your children of the presence of their father, that sad loss to them however is caused by your serious offending.”
Sentencing breakdown
The 51-year-old former stand-up comic was found guilty of raping a woman and sexually assaulting female TV and radio workers. He received nine years' imprisonment for the one count of rape, to be served consecutively with three other sentences.
Brand received nine months for sexually assaulting a woman whose breasts he grabbed at a bar in London, 18 months for sexually assaulting a woman at the Choice FM studios in London in either 2004 or 2005, and eight months for sexual assault while working on a Channel 4 project in 2009. The three sentences for sexual assault will run concurrently with one another but consecutively to the rape sentence, making the total 10 years and six months.
Release and licence conditions
According to the Sentencing Council, Brand is likely to serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody, as offenders jailed for four years or more for some serious violent or sexual offences are released at the two-thirds point. Once released, he is expected to spend the rest of his sentence on licence and will have to abide by specific rules, such as wearing a tag. His sentence will not be included in the early release scheme, as sex offenders and murderers are exempt.
The four-week trial heard how Brand preyed on women he encountered on his way to becoming one of Britain’s best-known comedians, a TV and radio host, and a Hollywood actor briefly married to singer Katy Perry. Brand was convicted of raping a 21-year-old fan in 2009 after meeting her following a stand-up show at the Hammersmith Apollo. He was also convicted of groping a woman in a Soho bar in 2004, kissing and groping another woman at Capital Radio studios in 2005, and putting his head into the groin of a female Channel 4 worker in 2009. Brand denied all the charges and claimed he had only ever had consensual sex during a “promiscuous” life.
