Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP / Getty Images
Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison after being convicted of rape and sexual assault charges in London. The sentencing took place on Monday at Southwark Crown Court, where Judge Joel Bennathan described Brand as having a "casual and arrogant disregard" for women's consent, according to WGRZ.
Brand, 51, was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. The incidents occurred between 2004 and 2009, as reported by PBS.
During the sentencing, one of Brand's victims spoke from behind a curtain, calling him "a sexual predator who has no remorse." Another victim, who was raped in 2009, said Brand's fame and influence made her feel powerless, AFP reported.
Brand, who rose to fame in the early 2000s with his stand-up routines and roles in films like "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," denied the charges, claiming all encounters were consensual. However, the jury of eight men and four women found him guilty after deliberating for more than eight hours over two days.
The case has drawn significant attention, with British culture minister Lisa Nandy stating that Brand's case is a "wake-up call" for the media industry regarding the exploitation of women. Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to improve support for victims of sexual offenses.
Brand's defense lawyer, Ian Winter, argued that Brand should be seen as someone who "went too far" rather than a predator. Despite this, Brand was taken into custody following the guilty verdicts and will serve his sentence in the UK.