Russell Brand Sentenced to 10½ Years in Prison for Rape and Sexual Assault
Share This Post
 |
| Russell Brand (English comedian and actor) |
British comedian and television personality Russell Brand was jailed on Monday for more than 10 years over a series of sex offences, including rape. The judge told him he was a "sexual predator" whose fame had shielded him.
Brand, 51, showed no emotion as Judge Joel Bennathan said he had acted with "staggering arrogance" and shown "contempt" for his victims, who suffered significant and lasting harm.
"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," the judge said.
Bennathan said Brand's status protected him until 2023, when journalists from the Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme exposed him, prompting women to go to police. He paid tribute to the "determination and bravery" of the women, adding that Brand had repeatedly acted "how you liked and when you liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live".
At London's Southwark Crown Court, Brand's wife, Laura Gallacher, with whom he has three children, slumped in her seat in the public gallery as the total sentence of 10 years and six months was announced. She has supported him throughout the case. Before being taken down to the cells, Brand told her, "we'll be OK".
A jury convicted Brand last week of one rape and three sexual assaults against four women between 2004 and 2009. The former star, who has reinvented himself as an online Christian guru, held prayer beads and made the sign of the cross as one of his victims read out her impact statement in person from behind a screen. She said the 2004 assault in a London bar left her "traumatised".
"For many years as his star was rising it was impossible to escape seeing him all over the media, being celebrated for his disgusting behaviour against women like it was all a joke," she told the court.
'Celebrated'
A second victim, a 21-year-old fan he raped in 2009 after meeting her at one of his shows, said she believed she would "not be believed" if she reported him. "His fame, wealth and influence created a power imbalance which made me feel powerless," she said.
The sentencing came as Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to be "relentless in making whatever improvements we can" to support victims.
Brand was acquitted of two other alleged rapes and one count of attempted indecent assault. However, he faces further investigation after London police disclosed rape allegations from two more women.
Brand's career spanned Channel 4, MTV and a primetime show on BBC Radio 2. His fixation on sex and his unfiltered delivery fuelled his notoriety. He denied the charges but admitted being "extremely promiscuous" and using his fame to "facilitate sexual access".
'Wake-up call'
Born in Essex, east of London, in 1975 to working-class parents, Brand left drama school and joined MTV at 25. He later hosted a BBC radio show, and last week the corporation apologised for the "culture and failings" during his time there between 2006 and 2008. He left the BBC after leaving sexually explicit messages on the answering machine of a well-known actor, claiming to have slept with the actor's granddaughter. After a brief marriage to US pop star Katy Perry in 2010, he moved into Hollywood.
The court found him guilty of sexually assaulting an MTV employee, a Channel 4 employee and a Capital Radio employee, and of raping a fan.
The organisations that supported Brand for years now face questions over how his behaviour continued for so long. British culture minister Lisa Nandy said men in power were still exploiting women in the media industry, calling the case a "wake-up call".
Speaking outside court, lead detective Andy Furphy called the sentence a "milestone" that saw Brand finally "held accountable for his crimes". He praised the "immense bravery, dignity and resilience" of the victims, who had "to revisit deeply traumatic experiences".
As he left court, Brand's father, Ron Brand, told reporters his son had been a "victim" and that both Russell and his daughter-in-law would be alright. Asked how his son would cope in jail, he said, "Yeah, he's strong, he's strong," adding that "she's strong as well", referring to Laura.
