British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The sentence was handed down by Southwark Crown Court in London on 9 November, Reuters reports.
The verdict
Jurors found 51-year-old Brand guilty on 5 November after a four-week trial. The crimes occurred between 2004 and 2009. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault.
Brand will serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before being eligible for release under supervision. He had previously denied the charges and claimed all sexual encounters were consensual.
Judge's remarks
The judge called Brand a sexual predator who believed his fame allowed him to disregard the rules.
"Whatever women wear, wherever they go and whatever they drink, they retain the right to say 'no' and to demand justice from a criminal court when sexual predators like you, Russell Brand, act without their consent," the judge said.
Victims' statements
One of the women said the aftermath of the ordeal has haunted her for more than 20 years.
"This undeserved sense of shame and thoughts like 'what if I had done this or that' have haunted me for over 20 years," she said, speaking from behind a screen.
Another victim, whom Brand raped in 2009, explained she did not go to the police immediately because of his fame and influence.
"I felt that if I reported him, I would not be believed. His fame, wealth and influence created a power imbalance that made me feel powerless," her statement, read out by prosecutors, said.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones said Brand abused the power and influence he gained from his fame.
Investigation ongoing
London police are continuing to investigate two further alleged rapes. One complaint concerns a girl who was 16 at the time of the alleged offence.
Russell Brand became known as a comedian and television presenter. He appeared in the films 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', 'Get Him to the Greek' and 'Arthur', and was married to American singer Katy Perry.