British Comedian Russell Brand Sentenced To 10.5 Years In Prison For Raping Woman, Sexually Assaulting Three Others

British comedian and actor Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on Monday after being convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others nearly two decades ago. The 51-year-old was sentenced at London's Southwark Crown Court by Judge Joel Bennathan.

Brand will serve two-thirds of the sentence in custody before being released on licence. Brand, who was once one of Britain's most prominent broadcasters and a Hollywood star, was found guilty last Thursday of offences committed between 2004 and 2009.

He had denied all the charges. During sentencing, Judge Bennathan described Brand as a "sexual predator" who believed that fame gave him the freedom to act without regard for others. "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, the former husband of US pop star Katy Perry, mouthed "I love you" to his wife before he was taken to the cells. Speaking outside court, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of London's Metropolitan Police praised Brand's victims for their courage in coming forward.

"They have shown immense bravery, dignity and resilience," Furphy said. "Their courage in coming forward has not only led to this outcome but may also give confidence to others who have suffered sexual violence to seek help and report what happened to them," he added.

The Metropolitan Police has said Brand remains under investigation over two other alleged rapes, including one involving a girl who was 16 at the time. Met Commissioner Mark Rowley said on Friday that he would not be surprised if more people came forward with allegations.

Brand was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault following a four-week trial. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. During the trial, Brand acknowledged that he had spent much of his life engaging in what he described as "reckless philandering and idiocy", but maintained that sexual consent had always been fundamental to him.

He had denied ever having non-consensual sex. One of Brand's victims, who accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2004, said the incident had left her traumatised. Brand was convicted of sexually assaulting her but acquitted of the rape allegation.

"That undeserved feeling of shame and 'what if I had done this or done that' has been carried round inside me for over 20 years," she said in evidence delivered from behind a screen. Another woman, who said Brand raped her in 2009, said the trauma had been "often" never-ending.

In a statement read by prosecutors, she said she did not report the alleged attack at the time because of Brand's fame and status.