Russell Brand to Receive Sentence Monday After Guilty Verdicts
Judge Joel Bennathan described the upcoming term as significant, following a four-week trial in London where the comedian was convicted on four of seven counts.
By Fatou Kim ·
Judge Joel Bennathan will hand down a sentence for comedian Russell Brand on Monday at Southwark Crown Court. The 51-year-old was found guilty on Thursday of three counts of sexual assault and one count of rape, concluding a four-week trial that drew intense public attention.
The jury acquitted Brand on three of the seven historic charges brought by six women. He was found guilty of raping a woman who attended one of his comedy shows in 2009. He also sexually assaulted three other women between 2004 and 2009. The locations of those assaults included a bar, a radio station, and a television studio. The jury cleared him of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Bennathan told Brand in court that he faces a significant custodial term. Danny Shaw, a crime commentator and former BBC correspondent, noted on X that while the maximum penalty for rape in the UK is life imprisonment, the average sentence is 10 years. Shaw estimated Brand could receive a prison term ranging from four to 13 years.
Brand denied all charges prior to the verdict, stating he never had sex without consent. His lawyer requested bail on Thursday so Brand could spend the weekend with his three children. Bennathan denied the request, and Brand spent his first weekend in a London prison cell. His wife Laura, who supported him throughout the proceedings, left the courtroom quickly after the verdict was read. Brand displayed little emotion during the announcement.
London police detective Andy Furphy told reporters last week that Brand used his influence, status, and fame to prey on women. Furphy added that as Brand's profile grew, his sense of entitlement increased. The case is being viewed as a milestone in the #MeToo movement, which has sought to hold influential men accountable for abusing power.
Camilla Long, a journalist for The Sunday Times, described the trial as one of the most disgusting experiences of her life. Long noted that Brand loudly declared himself a predator yet was widely ignored for years. In 2023, a woman identified only as Jane Doe accused Brand of sexual assault in the United States. She alleged the incident occurred while she worked as a film extra on the 2010 movie Arthur. Brand married pop star Katy Perry that same year, a union that ended in divorce just over a year later.
