Comedian Russell Brand Sent to Prison Monday After Guilty Verdict
The actor and comedian faces a lengthy prison sentence after a jury convicted him of one count of rape and three sexual assaults.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
British comedian Russell Brand was found guilty in London on Thursday of rape and sexual assaults. Judge Joel Bennathan told the 51-year-old actor that he faces a lengthy jail sentence. He will be formally sentenced on Monday.
Brand was convicted at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The jury acquitted him of two additional rape charges and an attempted indecent assault. Prosecutors described him as a ruthless sexual predator during the trial.
The cases spanned the years between 1999 and 2009. This period covered Brand's rise from small stand-up comedy venues to television presenting and Hollywood film roles. He appeared in movies such as Get Him to the Greek and Arthur. He is also known as the former husband of US singer Katy Perry.
Six women testified in court. They are all entitled to lifelong anonymity. None of the complainants knew each other. They came forward to police in 2023 after a television documentary and press reports featured anonymous allegations against Brand. Brand denied the accusations, stating the incidents were either consensual or had been reinvented or re-imagined.
The rape conviction relates to an incident in 2009. A victim met Brand after a gig where they had a sexual encounter in his dressing room. Days later, she visited his home. She said he anally raped her during what she described as consensual sex. He told her to clean up the blood and mess afterwards, she testified.
Brand was also found guilty of sexual assaulting a woman at a London bar in 2004. She said he approached her at a party and grabbed her breasts. In another 2009 incident, he demanded a massage from a colleague before putting his head between her legs. This occurred in front of two of Brand's colleagues while they worked on a promotion. A fourth conviction involved a radio station worker in 2004 or 2005 who said he assaulted her during a frenzied attack in front of his entourage.
Brand was taken down to the cells after the verdict. He is scheduled to apply for bail at 1500 GMT.
