Disgraced celebrity Russell Brand has spent his first night in a prison cell ahead of a “significant custodial term” for a string of sex attacks. Brand, 51, was convicted of raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three women at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday. He was cleared of two further charges of rape and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.
Details of the Conviction
The Met has also confirmed investigations are ongoing into two further allegations of rape made against Brand, one of which comes from a woman who dated Brand when he was 30 and she was a 16-year-old schoolgirl. His victims came to court to reveal how Brand had forced them into sexual activity, sometimes within seconds of them first meeting, using his fame to determinedly pursue a goal of sex with 5,000 women.
First Night in Custody
He will spend the weekend in custody before he returns to the same court on Monday to learn the details of his prison sentence. His wife Laura Gallacher, who attended much of the trial, was seen to hunch over in the public gallery as Mr Justice Bennathan told Brand that he now faces an inevitable and lengthy jail term. After being found guilty, Brand was taken to a high security jail, and was being monitored around the clock by guards.
Prison Procedures and Next Steps
After undergoing a “humiliating” strip-search, he was taken to an induction wing and given basic toiletries and a small food pack, according to The Sun. He was reportedly allowed one short phone call, before staff conducted an interview with Brand in which they asked him about his state of mind and checked he was not a danger to himself. On Friday, he will be assessed by a nurse and a wellbeing specialist.
