image copyrightElizabeth Cook/Press Association
Well-known British comedian and TV and radio host Russell Brand was sentenced to ten years and six months in prison after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault.
In his sentencing submissions on Monday (November 9), Judge Joel Bennathan described Brand as a "sexual predator" and criticized him for his "astonishing arrogance".
The 51-year-old Brand was sentenced to nine years in prison for rape, and additional sentences of 18 months, nine months and eight months for the other three sexual assaults. However, he was ultimately sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison together.
The disgraced entertainer was found guilty of charges involving four women between 2004 and 2009.
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Under the guidelines, offenders sentenced to four years or more for certain serious violent or sexual offenses will be released after serving two-thirds of their sentence. In Brand's case, that's seven years.
As a result of his crimes, he will automatically be placed on the sex offenders register in accordance with the penalty provisions. After his release, he is likely to be supervised for the remainder of his sentence and must comply with certain requirements such as wearing an electronic monitoring device.
Bland did not react in the prisoner's box when he was sentenced. Before being taken to the holding cell, he mouthed "I love you" to his wife, Laura Gallacher, who was in the courtroom.
Brand has been married twice, his first wife being American pop singer Katy Perry.
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The charges on which Bland was convicted include:
However, Bland was also acquitted of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
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The judge paid tribute to the courage shown by the women who gave evidence during the trial.
The judge further said Brand's celebrity status had protected him until 2023, when a series of allegations of inappropriate behavior were revealed by journalists from The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4, prompting women to make complaints to police.
He said Brand had a "casual and arrogant disregard" for any woman's right to say "no" to him, and that his fame led him to believe he could "do whatever he wants, when he wants".
The judge said the evidence in the case also showed that during the height of Brand's celebrity status, people around him had been "condoning your outrageous behavior."
Before Bland was sentenced, the court heard victim impact statements from women he was accused of sexually assaulting.
After a four-week trial at the Southwark Crown Court in London, the judge made a guilty verdict last Thursday (5th) and adjourned sentencing until Monday.
BBC apologizes for Brand's crime
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Brand began his career as a stand-up comedian and later became a household name in the UK by hosting a talk show associated with the reality TV show "Big Brother". He has also hosted solo programs on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music.
After his conviction, a BBC spokesman said there was "no place for abuse of power", adding: "The entire industry must work together to ensure that anyone who has been harmed by another feels they can report an incident, that their concerns are taken seriously and that they are heard."
The BBC once again apologized to staff for the circumstances surrounding Brand's time at the BBC from 2006 to 2008. At the time, some employees felt unable to raise concerns about his behavior because they considered him "too influential."
Channel 4, which aired Big Brother and its spin-offs during Brand's tenure as presenter, said it understood the "far-reaching impact of these crimes".
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy warned that abuses in the British media industry may still be occurring after Brand's conviction because relevant agencies have not taken enough measures to protect women.
"The time has come when the media industry really has to take this issue seriously," she told BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (BBC One).
She added that since taking over, "many people" had contacted her claiming they had experienced things in the industry.
Ms Lam was asked whether she believed there was still exploitation and abuse in the media industry in the wake of the Brand trial and the cancellation of Channel 4 reality show Married at First Sight after a BBC reporter revealed rape allegations.
"I don't see much change in the way the media industry and institutions across the public sphere, including politics, deal with women who are very brave enough to come forward with allegations of abuse," she said.
Lan Lishan added that in industries such as media and politics, women who speak out are often not protected and have to pay a "very heavy price." She also pointed out issues such as power imbalance and the fact that some employees can only get short-term contracts.
Lan Lishan said that many people from within the industry have spoken out, including people from the BBC.
But she added that the BBC had become a "role model" for signing up to the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, an industry group that protects whistleblowers, and called on other organizations to follow suit.
A spokesman for the BBC said the company "has made a significant commitment to improve its culture, processes and standards".
The spokesman added: "Following an independent culture review last year, we set out behavioral expectations for all those who work with or are employed by the BBC and made it clear that action would be taken if these standards were not met."
Bayend and Labor respond to Bland rape case
Before sentencing, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Russell Brand had been brought to justice for his "appalling" crimes and sought to explain Labor's past relationship with the comedian.
More than a decade ago, before police began investigating Brand, some in the Labor Party tried to win over him. And in 2014, when the comedian was criticized in the media for his housing arrangements, Bayend posted a message of support on social media.
When asked about the 2014 post last Friday (6th), Bayend said: "Not everyone knows everything about a public figure."
In 2014, Brand regularly wrote opinion pieces for newspapers and participated in political discussion programs, including the BBC's Question Time. His anti-establishment and left-wing views have also attracted many followers on social media.
That same year, then-shadow health secretary Benedict tweeted support for Brand as the comedian faced allegations about his housing arrangements.
It's unclear what Bayend was referring to in his 2014 post, but The Sun claimed that Brand was renting properties from owners in tax havens while advocating against tax avoidance.
Brand threatened to sue the newspaper and said he would donate the money to victims of the Hillsborough disaster, a group for which Bayend has long been a vocal advocate.
Asked about the social media post, Bayend told the BBC: "All I can say is that I had absolutely no idea at the time the full extent of what he had done and what he did later."
The prime minister added: "His (Brand's) crimes were appalling, he was held to account and his victims got justice, and that's the right thing to do here."
"Not everyone may know everything about a public figure, but it is important that any inappropriate behavior is exposed."
The Prime Minister added: "I want to pay tribute to the victims, which are very worthy of tribute. The courage they showed is admirable; at the same time, I also want to thank the reporters who exposed this matter."
The then leader of the Labor Party, Ed Miliband, was interviewed by Brand before the 2015 election. Brand, who had previously denied the significance of the vote, switched to supporting the Labor Party after the visit, saying Wen Libin convinced him that "this guy will listen to our voices."
Current Foreign Minister Wen Libin has previously stated that he regrets accepting Brand's visit.
On Friday, Wen Libin's spokesman told the BBC: "The crimes Russell Brand was convicted of are shocking and Wen Libin expresses deep sympathy to the victims."
"As he said in 2023: 'Certainly, based on what I know now, and I was not aware of these allegations about Russell Brand at the time, I would not have done that interview, and I regret it.'"
Reporting: BBC senior domestic affairs correspondent Sima Kotecha, BBC political correspondent Jack Fenwick, Steven McIntosh, Ella Kipling
If you feel distressed, hopeless, and in need of support, please consider seeking help from a medical professional or support organization. If you are in the UK, you can visit BBC Action Line.
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This article was originally written in English. We used artificial intelligence to assist in translation and was reviewed by BBC journalists before publication. Learn more about how we use artificial intelligence.
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