Russell Brand sentenced to 10.5 years in jail; Judge calls him 'sexual predator'

British comedian and former television presenter Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being convicted of rape and sexual assault, with the judge criticising his conduct towards women and describing him as a “sexual predator”, as reported by Reuters.

Judge Joel Bennathan handed down the sentence at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday, November 9. Brand, 51, was convicted last week of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women in incidents that took place between 2004 and 2009. He had denied the charges.

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What the Judge told Russell Brand

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Bennathan criticised Brand's attitude towards women, saying that his growing fame had been accompanied by an increasing sense of entitlement.

“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.

The judge further accused Brand of displaying a “casual and arrogant disregard” for women's right to refuse sexual advances. According to the court's remarks, Brand appeared to believe that his celebrity status allowed him to behave as he pleased, without being constrained by the rules governing ordinary social conduct.

Bennathan also criticised Brand's behaviour during the trial, accusing him of telling a series of lies and displaying what the judge described as “staggering arrogance”.

The remarks underscored the court's assessment of Brand's conduct and the seriousness of the offences for which he was convicted.

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Russell Brand's conviction and prison sentence

Brand was found guilty last week after a trial examining allegations of sexual offences against multiple women. The jury convicted him of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to four women, with the incidents dating back nearly two decades.

The allegations concerned a period when Brand was an established figure in British entertainment, known for his work as a comedian, actor and television presenter.

Despite the convictions, Brand had consistently denied the charges. The sentence was delivered following the jury's verdict at Southwark Crown Court.