Russell Brand Sentenced to 10½ Years for Rape and Sexual Assault

In a London courtroom on Monday, Russell Brand closed his eyes when the jury's verdicts were read, and days later he heard a judge sentence him to 10 and a half years in prison. The British television personality and Hollywood actor was convicted of raping a woman in 2009 and of sexually assaulting three others.

The case was heard at Southwark Crown Court in South London, before a jury of eight men and four women. They found Brand guilty of groping a woman's breasts at a London bar in 2004, and of sexually assaulting a woman at a London radio station in 2004 and 2005. They also convicted him of raping a woman at his west London home in 2009. He was acquitted on two other counts of rape and on a charge of attempted indecent assault. In all, six women had made allegations against him, covering the years 1999 to 2009.

Judge Joel Bennathan called Brand a "sexual predator" in his sentencing remarks. He spoke of "staggering arrogance" and said Brand believed that "fame meant you could act how you liked, when you liked." The sentence breaks down as nine years for the rape and 18 months for the sexual assaults. Brand is expected to serve at least seven years in custody, and the remainder under heavy restrictions, such as wearing an electronic tag.

Before the sentence was handed down, victim impact statements were put before the court. The prosecutor read three of them, and one of the women read her own from behind a screen that hid her from everyone except the judge. "I've been in shock and turmoil for years," she said, according to the BBC. "I didn't have any respect for myself." She described thinking of herself as "damaged goods" and being scared of giving off signals that could be taken the wrong way. A statement read by the prosecutor called Brand "a sexual predator who has no remorse" and said its author hoped he would not be allowed to hurt any more women. The woman he was convicted of raping said she had struggled to sleep and eat, and to cope with her emotions, after the attack.

Brand's lawyer, Ian Winter KC, told the court that his client was a "fundamentally different person today" than he was 17 years ago, when the rape took place. He described the rape as a "momentary total failure to respect [the woman's] consent." Throughout the trial, the defense argued that the accusers' cases were weakened because they went to police only years after the encounters. Brand pleaded not guilty to every charge. He suggested the claims were part of a coordinated attack on his character, tied to his prominence as an online wellness influencer and political commentator. He admitted to a promiscuous life but said he never forced anyone to do anything against their will. A prosecutor, for their part, portrayed him during the trial as a ruthless and manipulative sexual predator.

Brand has been in custody since the verdicts. The judge refused his request for bail, which he had made so he could spend time with his wife and children before sentencing. "I regret the hardship caused to the children, of course," Bennathan said, according to the BBC. "But the hardship has been caused by serious criminal offending by their father." When bail was denied, Brand said, "I'm good, I'm good, I'm good," and was led away.

The case may not be finished. After the verdicts, the BBC reported that police were investigating further rape allegations against Brand from two women, one of whom was 16 at the time of the alleged incident. The head of London's Metropolitan Police said Friday that he "wouldn't be surprised if many more [women] came forward." Whether any new charges follow is the next thing to watch.