Russell Brand sentenced to 10 years, 6 months in prison for rape, sexual assault

(ABC NEWS) — Actor Russell Brand was sentenced Monday in a U.K. courtroom to 10 years and 6 months in prison after he was found guilty last week of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four victims.

Before Brand’s sentencing, Judge Joel Bennathan of London’s Crown Court in Southwark said the sexual assaults and rape Brand committed against the four women between 2004 and 2009 were fueled by his “staggering arrogance.”

“About 20 years ago, Russell Brand, you were becoming famous. You were clever and, in many people’s eyes, funny and charismatic. You had also become a sexual predator,” Bennathan told Brand.

Brand, 51, was sentenced to 35 months total for the three sexual assault counts, the longest sentence of which was 18 months, with Bennathan declaring that those sentences would run concurrently.

Brand was sentenced to nine years in prison for the rape count, with the sentence to be served consecutively to the sexual assault sentences, making a total of 10 years and 6 months.

Bennathan said he reduced the sentence on the rape count by one year after taking into account that Brand did not have a substantial criminal record and had done “good work” helping people struggling with addiction.

Brand must serve two-thirds of the sentence before he is eligible to be released from prison, Bennathan said.

Upon his release, Brand must also be “indefinitely subject to the notification requirements under the Sexual Offense Act of 2003,” Bennathan further said.

The judge noted that at his trial, Brand claimed he never touched a woman sexually without her consent.

“In light of the jury’s verdict, that was one of a series of lies you told,” Bennathan said.

Following Brand’s guilty verdict, David Roberts, senior Crown Prosecutor in the London Rape and Serious Sexual Assault Unit, issued a statement, saying in part, “Russell Brand was predatory and used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes. … Although his tactics varied, at the centre of every assault was an abuse of power and sexual greed, with a complete disregard for the impact of his actions.”

In addition to acting and comedy, Brand has worked as a political commentator and wellness influencer.

In 2017, Brand married Laura Gallacher, who appeared with him in court throughout the trial.

The couple has three children.