Russell Brand may appeal against his prison sentence of more than ten years for sex crimes, according to a leading London law firm.
The former comedian and actor was jailed on Monday for ten years and six months for raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three TV and radio workers during his rise to international fame.
Brand, now 51, abused his celebrity status to prey on women and was convicted after a trial at Southwark Crown Court of sexual offences against four victims.
Potential Appeal
Some legal experts suggested he might be able to reduce his sentence on appeal.
Raj Chada, head of criminal defence at Hodge Jones & Allen, said: “There can be no mistaking the gravity and sickening nature of Brand’s offending, but his legal team will view the sentence as harsh. “They will most likely appeal against his sentence, arguing that the judge has made an example of Brand while under the pressure of the media spotlight.”
Judge's Remarks
Sentencing judge Mr Justice Bennathan slammed Brand’s “staggering arrogance” and told how he had become a “sexual predator” as he found fame.
Mr Justice Bennathan said Brand’s “status protected you” until in 2023 journalists from the Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches first exposed a litany of sexual misconduct, leading to women making complaints to police.
He added that 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”.
The judge said the evidence in the case also showed Brand’s entourage during his celebrity heyday had “indulged your dreadful behaviour”.
Victim Impact
One of Brand’s fans was raped as a 21-year-old by Brand in 2009 at his luxury London home, the court heard, while female staffers at Channel 4, MTV, and Capital Radio were sexually assaulted by the TV star.
The judge imposed a nine-year jail term for the rape, and added on an extra year and a half for the sexual assaults.
Brand’s victims told of the devastating impact of his crimes on their lives. One woman described him as “a sexual predator who has no remorse for how his behaviour has impacted my life”.
The rape victim told the court how she was a big fan of Brand before going to see him at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2009, and she was picked out of the crowd by the comedian to join him backstage.
She willingly engaged in a threesome at the venue, then agreed to visit Brand’s £2.3 million townhouse in Hampstead Village to have sex. But she said the encounter turned into rape.
She told the court how “every update regarding the case brought back memories of the incident and felt like reopening old wounds”.
Other Convictions
Brand was also convicted of sexually assaulting a female Channel 4 worker during a recording session in 2009, shortly after he had started dating singer Katy Perry.
He was found guilty of sexual assaults on an MTV worker in a Soho bar in 2004 and a Capital Radio worker when she bumped into him in a corridor in 2005.
Brand’s wife Laura Gallacher was sat just a few feet away from her husband in the glass-walled dock as he was sentenced and has vowed to stand by him. He displayed no emotion as he was told his punishment and paused briefly to tell his wife “we’ll be OK” as he was being led to the cells.
Brand, who has already spent four nights in custody at HMP Wandsworth, was expected to be returned to the south west London jail, which was recently condemned for its “inhuman living conditions” and to serve two-thirds of his sentence before being released on licence. He will be on the sex offenders’ register for life.
