Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in a London criminal trial last week.
Brand was found guilty on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The comedian had previously pleaded not guilty to all seven of his charges; he was found not guilty on two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The rape conviction carried a maximum sentence of 19 years, while the maximum sentence for sexual assault is 10 years.
The investigation into the star began in September 2023 when his victims publicly spoke out in an exposé about incidents that took place between 2006 and 2013 (the two newer charges are for incidents that allegedly took place in 2009). He has long maintained his innocence.
Brand was, of course, best known for starring in comedies like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek,” but in recent years had embraced a right-leaning podcast and speaking career.
“I’ve always told you guys that when I was young and single before I had my wife and family — who are just out of shot over there, my beautiful children — I was a fool, man. I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord,” he said back in April in a video denying the allegations. “I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile — but what I never was a rapist. I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.”
