Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on Monday after a court convicted him of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women between 2004 and 2009, according to Reuters reporting detailed by NRK.
The 51-year-old actor and comedian showed no visible reaction when Joel Bennathan handed down the sentence, BBC reported. On his way out of the courtroom, Brand paused to tell his wife, Laura Brand, that they would be okay, according to Sky News and NRK.
Bennathan reduced the prison term after factoring in mitigating circumstances, including that 17 years had passed since the final offense and that Brand had completed substantial community work afterward, NRK reported.
Brand was acquitted on three separate charges during the trial and maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, according to NRK.
The prosecution argued that Brand used his celebrity status to gain access to women during the height of his career, when he starred in films such as the romantic comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” NRK reported.
Additional allegations regarding non-consensual behavior emerged in investigations published by The Times and The Sunday Times, and covered by The Guardian.
One woman told The Times, as reported by The Guardian, that Brand had sex with her without consent before later apologizing both in person and via text message.
– I rationalized it in my head by telling myself: At least he admitted it, – she said to The Times, according to The Guardian.
A second woman told outlets that Brand ignored her pleas to stop when she experienced pain during an encounter, The Guardian reported.
– Then it gets worse, and it’s genuinely painful. And I say «stop», and he doesn’t stop, – she said, according to The Guardian. Four other women accused Brand of various forms of unwanted behavior between 2005 and 2015, according to The Guardian.
Brand was convicted of one count of rape against a 21-year-old fan in 2009, alongside three counts of sexual assault involving four different complainants, as reported by NRK and Reuters.
* Which charges did the court dismiss?
The presiding judge acquitted Brand on three separate criminal counts brought by the prosecution, according to NRK reporting.
* How has Brand responded to the criminal convictions? Brand maintained his innocence throughout the trial and has not yet issued a public statement regarding the additional allegations published by The Times and The Sunday Times, according to The Guardian and NRK.
Related reading