Russell Brand has been described as "shaken and quiet" during his first days at Wandsworth Prison following his rape conviction, with sources saying he is "in real danger". Brand is set to be sentenced on Monday, 9th November, with the prison where he will serve his time yet to be confirmed, as the decision lies with the UK Prison Service.
Sources indicate he is currently being held at Wandsworth Prison ahead of his hearing on Monday. Those close to the situation have revealed he was "petrified" about spending his first night in custody, and he is reportedly being "watched around the clock". Further details have now surfaced following his initial day inside.
First Days in Custody
Sources have described him as "shaken and quiet", with reports suggesting he is being kept apart from the general prison population over safety concerns. 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."
The source added: "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."
Conviction and Sentencing
Brand is facing a substantial jail term. The jury unanimously found Brand guilty of crimes committed against four women spanning 2004 to 2009. Mr Justice Bennathan warned him he was looking at a "significant custodial sentence" before placing him on remand. The judge refused to allow Brand the chance to bid farewell to his children, concerned he might abscond rather than attend court on Monday for sentencing. Brand responded loudly with "yes My Lord".
He has been convicted of raping a 21-year-old woman he met following a comedy show at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2009. Brand was also found guilty of sexually assaulting an MTV staff member at a Soho bar, a woman at the Choice FM studios, and a Channel 4 employee who had been told to give him a massage.
Charges and Acquittals
Brand faced a total of seven charges: three counts of rape, three of sexual assault, and one of attempted indecent assault. He was cleared of raping a woman at a Bournemouth hotel in 1999, during the Labour Party conference where Brand had been performing in a cabaret show. The accused was found not guilty of attempted indecent assault after allegations he grabbed a woman's arm and attempted to drag her towards toilets in central London in 2001. He was also acquitted of orally raping a woman in a bar toilet in London, an alleged attack that took place while the two were at a birthday party in Soho.
Speaking to Times Radio earlier today, the Prime Minister described Brand's actions as "horrifying". He added 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 is due to be sentenced on Monday following his conviction on one rape charge and three counts of sexual assault.
