British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others between 2004 and 2009.
Brand, 51, stood in the dock at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday as Judge Joel Bennathan handed down the sentence, describing him as a “sexual predator” who believed “fame meant you could act how you liked, when you liked” .
The judge sentenced Brand to nine years for the rape, with concurrent terms of 18 months, nine months and eight months for the three sexual assaults . Brand must serve two-thirds of the sentence—approximately seven years—before becoming eligible for parole .
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Bennathan said Brand had displayed “staggering arrogance” and a “casual arrogant disregard to any woman’s right to say no to you” .
“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,” the judge said .
He noted that three of the four crimes took place in public settings—at a bar, a radio station and during a filming—with others present. “The whole episode reeks of casual disrespect, and your belief that fame meant you could act however you liked, when you liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live,” Bennathan said .
The judge also condemned Brand for telling “a series of lies” during the trial, including his claim that he had “never touched a woman without her consent” .
Before sentencing, victim impact statements were read to the court. One woman, who was sexually assaulted at a Soho bar in 2004, read her statement in person from behind a screen.
“I literally lost any love for myself for a long time, thinking I was damaged goods,” she said . She described seeing Brand “being celebrated for his disgusting behaviour to women as if it was all a joke” .
She concluded her statement with the words: “A leopard may change its spots, but at the end of the day, it is still a leopard, and not a gazelle” .
The woman Brand was convicted of anally raping at his Hampstead home in 2009 said in her statement that the trauma was “something I carry with me every day and it often feels never-ending” .
Another victim, assaulted at a radio station in 2005, said Brand had “managed to move on and even forget that he had sexually assaulted me” .
Brand was acquitted of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault . The Metropolitan Police has confirmed he is under investigation over further allegations of rape from two other women .
Brand’s lawyer, Ian Winter KC, argued for a reduced sentence, citing Brand’s lack of previous convictions, the 17 years since the offences, and his charitable work helping people with addiction . The judge reduced the rape sentence by one year to account for mitigating factors .
As he was led away from the dock, Brand told his wife, Laura Gallacher: “We’ll be OK” .
The case has prompted wider reckoning. Prime Minister Andy Burnham praised the women for coming forward and pledged that every police force would have dedicated rape and serious sexual offence teams by the end of next year . Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called the case a “wake-up call” for the media industry .
The BBC has apologised for institutional failings during Brand’s time at the broadcaster, as questions mount over how major media organisations enabled his behaviour for years .
The allegations against Brand first became public in 2023 through a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches . Brand had denied all charges throughout the four-week trial.
