Russell Brand has begun his 10-and-a-half-year jail term for rape and sexual assault, convicted on Thursday for raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three TV and radio workers during his rise to international fame. The 51-year-old showed no emotion as he was handed the custodial sentence on Monday afternoon at Southwark Crown Court.
Before being taken downstairs by dock officers, Brand told his wife, Laura Gallacher, “we’ll be OK.” He spent four nights in a cell before the sentencing hearing.
New Accusation from Jemima Goldsmith
Hours after sentencing, Jemima Goldsmith — who reportedly dated Brand for around a year in 2014 — shared a post on X claiming she had to call the police on the TV personality to get him removed during a “violent incident.” She wrote that she has her own experience of his “violence, coercive control and abuse” and has neither seen nor spoken to Brand since that period.
Sentencing and Court Arguments
During the hearing, Brand’s barrister Ian Winter KC argued the crimes were the consequence of the level of fame he was acquiring, noting that the final offence “happened very shortly after” Brand met his former wife, singer Katy Perry.
One of Brand’s victims called him “a sexual predator who has no remorse for how his behaviour has impacted my life.” She told court that his fame had left her afraid to speak out for years, adding: “His fame, wealth and influence created a power imbalance which made me feel powerless.” Another victim said she feared the sexual assault will “haunt me every day” and that reporting the incident “felt like a marathon I had not trained for.”
Sentencing Brand, Mr Justice Bennathan slammed his “staggering arrogance” and said he had “become a sexual predator” during his rise to fame. The judge said Brand harboured a “casual arrogant disregard to any woman’s right to say no to you,” while his fame meant he believed “you could act when you liked and how you liked.”
Calls for Legal Reform
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the bravery of the women who came forward will bring about wider changes to the legal system. Speaking at a hospital in Hertfordshire, he said he would be “relentless in making whatever improvements we can” to provide more support for victims, including ensuring there are rape and serious sexual offence teams in every police force.
It is understood Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy will summon media and entertainment bosses in the coming days to tell them the case must be a “line in the sand,” with a Government source telling The Times Ms Nandy believes “responsibility has to lie with the people at the top.” Ms Nandy on Sunday warned there has not been enough change in media organisations to stop celebrities like Brand from preying on women.
Last week, Mr Burnham told Times Radio he would “look closely” at what Sir Mark Rowley said after the Metropolitan Police Commissioner backed calls to change legislation to tackle “rape myths.” Sir Mark had earlier told the BBC that what he heard reported from Brand’s trial came very close to “victim blaming.”
Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman has called for a new legal duty on judges to direct juries if rape myths have been ventured during a trial. In the House of Lords on Monday, justice minister Lord Lemos said the Government “know we need to do better on ensuring victims of rape and sexual abuse feel safe to seek justice,” but did not commit to changing the law around rape trials.
Labour former justice minister Baroness Levitt has tabled an amendment to the Courts And Tribunals Bill to write Ms Waxman’s proposed legal duty into law. Her amendment would require judges in trials for sexual offences and domestic abuse offences to direct juries on myths and stereotypes that may affect their assessment of the evidence. Former Conservative Justice Secretary Robert Buckland told BBC Newsnight on Monday that a change in the law could “complicate the situation.”
Impact and Next Steps
Mr Winter, who put forward arguments that the comedian could not be a rapist as his accusers had not “resisted or screamed or even tried to leave,” has since reported himself to his professional regulator after being accused of a tirade at a female journalist shortly after his client had been found guilty.
Brand is expected to serve two-thirds of his prison sentence before being released on licence and will be on the sex offenders’ register for life.
