Russell Brand's father, Ron Brand, has claimed his son was wrongly convicted after the former comedian was sentenced to more than a decade for rape and sexual assault.
Brand was sentenced on Monday after being found guilty of a series of historic sexual offences dating between 2004 and 2009. The 51-year-old was convicted following a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Father's defence outside court
Speaking outside court, his father leapt to his defence. When asked why Brand had been convicted, Ron Brand told GB News: "The women chased and sprawled over him, eating him."
"My sister, now 88, used to say, 'Russell, you give too much of yourself'," he added. When told "your son is a convicted rapist", he responded: "So they've got it wrong." When told that many people would disagree, Ron Brand said: "Many people might. Those that know won't."
Details of the offences
The court heard how Brand had raped one of his fans in 2009 from his luxury London home and sexually assaulted three female TV and radio staffers from Channel 4, MTV and Capital Radio during his rise to stardom.
Brand was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison after Mr Justice Bennathan slammed his "staggering arrogance" and described him as a "sexual predator".
Judge's remarks and sentence
The judge told Brand: "About 20 years ago Russell Brand, you were becoming famous, you were clever, and in many people's eyes you were funny and charismatic. You had also become a sexual predator."
He said Brand's celebrity status "protected" him up until 2023 when 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. The judge said 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 imposed a nine-year jail term for the rape and added an extra year and a half for the sexual assaults.
