Russell Brand, 51, is reportedly struggling to eat the food served at HMP Wandsworth, where he is being held ahead of his sentencing on Monday (November 9). A woman visitor, who did not want to be named, told the Mirror outside the prison: "My boyfriend told me about Brand being in there. He said Brand doesn't like the food and is struggling to eat it. It's slop."
Conviction and Detention
Brand faces a lengthy prison sentence following his conviction for rape and sexual assault. He was found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday (November 5) after jurors unanimously convicted him of offences against four women between 2004 and 2009.
The prison where Brand will serve his sentence is yet to be determined. After his first day and night in prison, sources have described him as "shaken and quiet," and he is reportedly not allowed to mix with the wider prison population due to safety fears, The Mirror reports.
Safety Concerns and Conditions
A source told The Sun on Friday night (November 6): "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."
Calls for Legal Reform
Brand's conviction has sparked demands for legislative reform to address "rape myths" and misconceptions within courtrooms. This follows his barrister Ian Winter KC telling jurors throughout the trial that none of the complainants had "resisted or screamed or even tried to leave."
Claire Waxman, the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, has 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rape victims must scream, physically resist or immediately report an offence is a well-established rape myth, rooted in outdated and harmful assumptions about how victims are expected to behave.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."
