Russell Brand sentenced to 10½ years in prison over rape and sexual assaults

London: Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. Judge Joel Bennathan noted Brand's casual and arrogant disregard for consent, characterizing the crimes in the context of his rise to fame. In the 2000s, Brand was a renowned actor-comedian known for his outrageous acts on television and radio, as well as drug and alcohol issues.

He claimed his encounters were consensual, but a jury found him guilty of six counts of sexual assault spanning from 2004 to 2009. Brand's wife, Laura Gallacher, supported him throughout the trial, and after the sentencing, he was led away to the cells. Brand, who has since embraced a Christian faith, was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women.

Victims testified about the trauma and power imbalance they experienced due to Brand's celebrity status. British culture minister Lisa Nandy called the case a "wake-up call" for addressing systemic issues of sexism in the media industry.