Russell Brand
Russell Brand

LONDON — Russell Brand was sentenced Monday to 10 1/2 years in prison for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others, closing a high-profile case that has followed the comedian and actor since the allegations first surfaced three years ago.

The 51-year-old stood in the dock at London's Southwark Crown Court as Judge Joel Bennathan sentenced him to 10 years and six months, saying he would serve two thirds in custody before being released on licence.

'A sexual predator'

The judge placed the crimes in the context of Brand's rise to fame. He told Brand that about 20 years ago, he was becoming famous and was clever, funny and charismatic in many people's eyes. "You had also become a sexual predator," the judge said.

Bennathan told Brand that he showed a "casual and arrogant disregard" for any woman to say no to him.

The verdict

The sentence followed a guilty verdict last week. It came four days after a jury found Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women in the 2000s.

The jury did not convict him on every count. A jury of eight men and four women found him guilty of attacking four of six accusers on allegations dating back to 2004. He was cleared of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.

He was convicted of raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three TV and radio workers during his rise to international fame.

Brand denied wrongdoing

Brand fought the charges throughout. He had maintained his innocence and said all his encounters were consensual.

He had cast his legal fight in personal and religious terms. A recent convert to Christianity, Brand leaned into his faith while denying the charges, and he has said they are politically motivated.

How the case began

The criminal case grew out of a media investigation. The Metropolitan Police opened their investigation into Brand in September 2023 after the allegations were first reported publicly in The Times and Channel 4's investigative show "Dispatches."

Further investigations

Brand's legal troubles may not be over. London's Metropolitan Police have said Brand is under investigation for two other alleged rapes, one involving a then-16-year-old girl. He has not been charged in connection with those allegations.

A rapid fall

Brand rose to fame in Britain as a stand-up comedian, radio host and TV presenter before building a Hollywood career with films such as "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "Get Him to the Greek." He was known for outrageous stand-up routines and behavior on television and radio broadcasts, along with drug and alcohol battles.

In recent years, he had reinvented himself as an online commentator with a large following, but the allegations ended his mainstream broadcasting career.

British law protects the identity of victims of alleged sexual violence from the media for life.

It was not immediately clear whether Brand would appeal the conviction or sentence.