Russell Brand has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, after being found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The 51-year-old former comedian and actor had been held on remand at HMP Wandsworth since Thursday, November 4, awaiting sentencing.
The jury deliberated for eight-and-a-half hours before reaching its verdicts, acquitting Brand of further rape counts and one charge of attempted indecent assault. Following the verdict, Brand was remanded into custody and indicated a custodial sentence could be expected.
Report Describes 'Inhumane' Conditions at Wandsworth
A report by the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB), published last month, described the category B prison as "inhumane" for its living conditions. The report stated that most cells house two prisoners in cramped and unsanitary conditions, and that despite the prison being fully staffed, on average one third of officers would not be on duty during inspections, often leading to men being locked in their cells "for up to 22 hours a day".
The report said: "Staffing remained a serious constraint on offering a full regime. Although numbers varied on a daily basis, around one third of staff were unavailable for front line duty every day." It added: "While there were many positive initiatives the prisoners were still housed in unsafe, overcrowded, unsanitary and squalid conditions. The severe physical limitations of the Victorian buildings remain, with unacceptable and inhumane living conditions."
Prison's History of Notable Inmates
Opened in 1851, HMP Wandsworth is a Category B men's prison and one of the largest establishments of its kind in Britain. Situated in south west London, it has accommodated more than 1,500 prisoners. Its most famous former inmates include playwright and poet Oscar Wilde, who was transferred there in 1895 after being sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour for gross indecency.
Former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker served part of his prison sentence at Wandsworth in 2022 after being convicted of bankruptcy-related offences. Ronnie Biggs, a member of the gang behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963, escaped from the prison in 1965 while serving a 30-year sentence. The Kray family, Charles Bronson, and former pop star Gary Glitter have also been associated with the establishment. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was held at Wandsworth during his legal battles in Britain, and Daniel Abed Khalife escaped from the prison in September 2023 while awaiting trial on terrorism and espionage charges.
