By Zachary Stieber
Contributing Writer
A judge in London sentenced comedian and actor Russell Brand to 10 1/2 years in prison on Monday.
Nine years was for a rape conviction, and the rest was for three sexual assault convictions.
British High Court Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand during the sentencing hearing that he had become a sexual predator while rising to fame.
“Whatever women wear, wherever they go, indeed, whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no and to demand justice from the criminal courts when sexual predators like you, Russell Brand, act without their consent,” Bennathan said.
Brand, 51, showed little emotion during the hearing and turned to mouth the words “we’ll be OK” to his wife after he stood up and was led away by court officers.
A jury convicted Brand earlier in the month of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Jurors also acquitted him of two counts of rape and one charge of attempted indecent assault.
Brand has said that he had numerous sexual encounters but that they were all consensual.
The sexual assault offenses for which he was convicted took place in the 2000s at a bar in London, at radio station studies, and during work on an advertisement.
Brand raped a woman at one of his homes in 2009, the jury found.
The actor had remained in custody until the sentencing hearing. Bennathan said Brand could flee if not held, given his links to other countries.
Before Bennathan handed down the sentence, Brand’s lawyer said the judge should take into account Brand’s character, saying his only previous conviction was for marijuana possession in 1995 and that he had performed charitable work and helped others overcome drug and alcohol abuse.
A couple of them held a banner bearing crosses with the words: “Russell Brand we stand with you. Christ was crucified for telling the truth. Russell is the truth.” Brand has publicly become a Christian and changed his political views in recent years.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones said during the hearing that Brand abused the influence and power that came with his fame.
“He used it to facilitate access to women without which the offending could not have taken place. It also fed his own view that he could commit such offenses with impunity,” Karmy-Jones said.
The judge said that Brand would have been given a longer sentence if not for him having no significant prior convictions, the time that passed since the offenses, and the work he’s done, particularly the assistance he had provided to people struggling with addiction. The judge also said he was conscious that Brand’s prison term would take him away from his children.
“Finally, before passing sentence, I pause to pay tribute to the determination and bravery of all the women whose evidence I have been recounting,” Bennathan said. “I do not increase your punishment because of it, but all those women had to face being confronted and being told they had lied or twisted the truth and or they had agreed to your sexual demands. That was all done because of you on your instructions. I also commend the Metropolitan Police for their hard work in gathering evidence and taking great care of all the women who testified.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
