Russell Brand has spent his first day and night in prison after being convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others, with sources describing him as "shaken and quiet" and saying he is "in real danger".
Brand faces a lengthy custodial sentence after jurors unanimously convicted him of offences against four women between 2004 and 2009 at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday. Mr Justice Bennathan cautioned that Brand faced a "significant custodial sentence" before remanding him in custody, without giving him the opportunity to say goodbye to his children due to fears he would flee. Brand loudly replied "yes My Lord".
Safety concerns in custody
The prison where Brand will serve his sentence has yet to be determined, with the decision resting with the UK Prison Service. Sources suggest he is temporarily staying in Wandsworth until his sentencing hearing on Monday. He is reportedly being "watched around the clock" and is not allowed to mix with the wider prison population due to safety fears.
Last night, a source told The Sun: "Brand's first day in jail was a real shock to his system and a wake-up call. He looked shaken and was quiet. A horrible, noisy and dirty jail like Wandsworth is a world away from his glamorous Hollywood lifestyle."
"Brand has been put in a cell and is being kept away from other inmates because he is in real danger due to his offences, his wealth and who he is. Some of the officers and inmates will be excited to have a celebrity in there. But a lot of the cons would want to do him some damage, so he will not be allowed to mix in Wandsworth, and it will be safer for him. They will want to ship him out as soon as possible. He will find prison food pretty awful and have to supplement it by buying stuff."
Convictions and acquittals
Brand was found guilty of the rape of a 21-year-old woman he encountered after a comedy performance at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2009. He was also convicted of sexually assaulting an MTV employee at a Soho bar, a woman at the Choice FM studios, and a Channel 4 worker who had been instructed to give him a massage.
Brand had faced seven charges in total: three of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. He was acquitted of raping a woman at a hotel in Bournemouth in 1999, during the Labour Party conference at which Brand had been performing at a cabaret show. He was also cleared of an attempted indecent assault charge after being accused of grabbing a woman's arm and dragging her towards a toilet in central London in 2001, and of orally raping a woman in a bar toilet in London, an attack alleged to have occurred while the pair were attending a birthday celebration together in Soho.
Reaction and calls for reform
Speaking to Times Radio earlier today, the Prime Minister described Brand's actions as "horrifying". He said he would "like to praise the bravery of the women, the victims in the case, who've come forward and had the courage to speak out".
Brand's conviction has ignited demands for legislative reform to address "rape myths" and misconceptions within courtrooms. Throughout the trial, Brand's barrister Ian Winter KC told jurors that none of the complainants had "resisted or screamed or even tried to leave".
Claire Waxman, the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, has since called upon judges to be legally obligated to direct juries on rape myths and misconceptions during every rape trial. She stated: "The idea that rape victims must scream, physically resist or immediately report an offence is a well-established rape myth, rooted in outdated and harmful assumptions about how victims are expected to behave. That's why I am calling for a legal duty in the Courts and Tribunals Bill, requiring judges to direct juries on rape myths and misconceptions in every rape trial. Consistent judicial directions would help challenge stereotypes and improve understanding of trauma."
Brand will be sentenced on Monday after being found guilty of one count of rape and three charges of sexual assault.
