Russell Brand has been jailed today to more than 10 years for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.

All of them gave victim impact statements to the court, all of which were read out today for the judge to hear as he considered the punishment he would give to Brand.

One woman also chose to come into the courtroom to deliver her remarks directly to the judge. The court put up screens and drew a curtain at that point to protect her anonymity – so that she couldn’t be seen by Brand and was only seen by the judge, who thanked her for her courage in “in front of so many people”.

I’ve recounted throughout the blog the statements of all four women, but you can also read them here:

Related: ‘I felt sick at the sight of him parading around’: Russell Brand’s victims on the lifelong impact of his crimes

Justice Joel Bennathan delivered an eight-page judgement at the sentencing today.

The punishment – the full length of the prison term Russell Brand will serve for the next 10 years– was delivered right at the end in the 80-second clip below. You can watch it here.

Brand spoke to wife as he was taken away

The court drawing below depicts how Brand spoke to his wife Laura Brand as he was led away to the cells.

After the 10.5 year sentence was passed, Ms Brand told her husband “I love you”.

He said to her as he was being taken out: “We’ll be okay.”

Ms Brand left the courtroom in tears. The couple have three children together, the eldest aged 10.

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Senior crown prosecutor David Roberts spoke after Det Supt Furphy, and said that:

Today’s result shows that fame, status, and a passage of time do not change the fundamental issue of consent.

He says the evidence presented to court showed Brand to be a “manipulative sexual predator, using his growing fame and power to create situations in which he could pursue women sexually, regardless of what they wanted, with complete disregard for the impact of his actions”.

He also began his remarks by praising the victims.

They did not know each other, and each of them has carried what happened to them for almost two decades.

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Police and prosecutors urge all rape and sexual assault victims to come forward

Furphy commends the work of police and their support for the female victim and then makes a final, direct appeal “to anyone who’s been a victim of rape or any other sexual offence.

We know it can take enormous courage to speak about what happened to you.

No matter how long ago it occurred, or who was responsible, if you come forward, you’ll be listened to, supported, and treated with care and compassion.

Russell Brand, once a Hollywood film star and award-winning comedian, has just been sentenced to over 10 years in jail for sexual assault and rape crimes he committed two decades ago.

Some of the women in their victim impact statements, read out in court today, said they hadn’t discussed what had happened to them with other people, sometimes for 20 years.

But they had felt emboldened to come forward to police following investigations published by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 in 2023 concerning allegations made by other women.

Met Police since last Thursday have said they are also investigating two other rape allegations against Brand, including one involving a then 16-year-old girl, and have passed on those cases to prosecutors.

Updated

Police: 'Russell Brand has been held accountable for his crimes'

The lead detective on the case, Det Supt Andy Furphy, has just spoken outside the courtroom saying today’s sentence is a significant milestone, one that “means Russell Brand has been held accountable for his crimes.”

He goes on to praise the six women who bravely came forward and endured court interrogation to get to where we are today.

“I hope they recognise just how powerful their actions have been and the difference they may make to others,” says Furphy.

Full comments below:

My thoughts today are with the women who came forward and made this investigation possible.

Reporting sexual offences can be incredibly difficult and they have shown immense bravery, dignity, and resilience throughout what has been a lengthy and challenging trial process.

The victims have had to revisit deeply traumatic experiences and endure significant public and media attention.

I hope today’s outcome provides some measure of closure, and allows them to continue rebuilding their lives.

Their courage in coming forward has not only led to this outcome, but may also give confidence to others who have suffered sexual violence, to seek help and report what happened to them.

I hope they recognise just how powerful their actions have been and the difference they may make to others.

From the very beginning, our investigation was never about Russell Brand’s profile, status, or celebrity. Our focus has always been on the women who reported these offences, and on conducting a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations that they made.

Updated

Judge added two years to rape sentence for Brand removing condom and other serious aggravating factors

Regarding the rape sentencing, Judge Bennathan noted that Brand ordering the then 21-year-old woman to “clean your sheets” was “an additional… humiliation”.

He also said that Brand removing the condom without her consent, and ejaculating into her “which led to months of fearing she might have HIV” were “serious further aggravating factors”.

He said those actions “must raise” his sentence punishment by two years above the starting point.

As I reported earlier, the judge reduced the sentence by one year for mitigating factors such as Brand not having any serious prior convictions.

These are the details of the rape conviction, where Brand in 2009 anally raped a 21-year-old fan of his, removed the condom and ejaculated in her, humiliated her afterwards and left her terrified that she might have contracted HIV.

The judge summarised the crime as following:

She was a huge fan of yours, which you were happy to exploit. She had willing consensual sexual activity with you after your show. You took her phone number and if anyone still needs any demonstration of your contempt for your casual sexual partners, you stored her number under “T” for “tart”.

You invited her to your house a few days later. There you put on a condom at her request and had vaginal sex, to which she consented.

You then flipped her over, removed the condom and, without asking, forced your penis into her anus, causing her great pain. She asked you to stop, then asked you again loudly. You replied, and I quote, “I want you to feel my cum”.

You ejaculated. She was distraught and in severe pain. The bed was heavily soiled by blood, sperm and faeces. You told her it was her mess, and made her try to clear it up. Shortly after, you went off to get ready then went to work. She was driven to a nearby underground station by your driver who for some reason had tissues ready, to hand to her as she wept. She was left distraught, in pain and terrified she might have contracted HIV.

Judge Bennathan noted how Brand’s actions had caused “significant and long-lasting” harm to the woman.

In her victim impact statement she wrote of struggling to eat and sleep, of taking two to three months off from work and of abandoning the career she had embarked upon.

Although the rape was 17 years ago, she still finds it affects her ability to form new friendships and to know when she can trust people. From her evidence at trial I also know she developed an alcohol problem, partly as a result of your attack on her.

Updated

Russell Brand was sentenced to nine years for the rape conviction alone.

He was acquitted of two other rape counts, but because of this count, has received such a serious sentence behind bars.

Judge Bennathan went into length on this offence, and I will get into that in the next post.

Updated

The judge had said he was “very conscious” that Brand’s imprisonment would “deprive your children of the presence of their father”.

That sad loss to them, however, is caused by your serious offending.

Brand’s lawyer Ian Winter KC earlier had strenuously made the case that a lengthy sentence would have a “catastrophic” impact on Brand’s wife and three children.

Brand was taken into custody immediately after a jury found him guilty last Thursday so has not had the opportunity to say goodbye in person to his family.

Judge Bennathan also commended the Met Police for “their hard work in gathering evidence and taking great care of all the women who testified.”

As I reported earlier, one of the victims said she had wanted to withdraw her case after the stress and pressure and public attention, but she persisted with the support of specialist police teams.

The Met Police have said they expect other women may come forward to report their experiences of abuse and assault.

Judge paid tribute to 'determination and bravery' of women who came forward

Right before delivering his sentence decision, Judge Bennathan said:

Finally, before passing sentence, I pause to pay tribute to the determination and bravery of all the woman whose evidence I have been recounting.

I do not increase your punishment becauseof it but all those women had to face being confronted and being told they lied, or twisted the truth, and or they’d agreed to your sexual demands. That was all done because of you, and your instructions.

Officers have taken Brand out of the courtroom.

He has served a few days at HMP Wandsworth already, after being denied bail last Thursday following his conviction.

Brand must serve two-thirds of the 10-and-a-half years sentence before he will be eligible for parole, says the judge.

That means he will be behind bars for seven years.

Updated

Brand sentenced to 10 years and six months for rape and sexual assault offences

Judge Bennathan asks Brand to stand up as he passes his sentence judgment.

He says the sentence for rape is nine years imprisonment.

The total sentence is 10 years, six months, with the sexual assault offences.

The judge gave prison sentences of nine months, 18 months, and eight months for those three offences.

Prosecutors had called for the judge to mete out a sentence of this severity, for a category one penalty which ranges from 10-15 years.

Updated

The judge says with the mitigating factors in play, he will reduce his sentence for Brand by a year.

He has not given the full sentence yet.

Judge Bennathan has repeatedly called Brand a sexual predator during his address so far.

He notes mitigating factors of no crimes having been reported in the past 17 years, and some evidence testifying to Brand’s character.

'You thought fame meant you could act however you liked'

The judge, laying out the crimes, notes Brand’s “staggering arrogance” and how his entourage regularly indulged Brand’s actions.

Three of the four crimes took place in public settings, in front of other people – at a bar, radio station and a setting where an advert was being filmed. Others in the room laughed after the assaults, the women said.

These insults in front of an audience, said after the assault amount to an additional humiliation.

The whole episode reeks of casual disrespect, and your belief that fame meant you could act however you liked, when you liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live.

Updated

The judge is relaying the sexual assaults Brand committed against the women.

He starts with the attacks on one woman in a pub in London where Brand groped the breast of a fellow party attendee.

“The effect on her had her wandering the streets of London, phoning a friend in the middle of the night, tearful and distressed.”

He outlines another assault, where Brand, visiting a radio station with an entourage launched himself at a woman, groping and kissing her in front of her colleagues and his entourage.

He notes the attack’s impact on her, how it damaged relationships with her male colleagues.

“There was the added humiliation of you assaulting her in front of an audience and the laughter afterwards”.

Updated

Judge Bennathan starts with Brand’s climb to fame 20 years ago.

“About 20 years ago, Russell Brand, you were becoming famous. You were clever – and in many people’s eyes, funny and charismatic.

“You had also become a sexual predator,” he says.

“Your status protected you until 2023 when journalists published allegations” about his rapes and sexual abuse of women.

Such public reporting “empowered” other women to come forward to police, says Bennathan.

Updated

Judge Bennathan is about to begin his sentencing remarks, having considered the submissions from the prosecutor and Brand’s defence lawyer this morning.

A reminder that Russell Brand, once one of Britain’s most high-profile actor-comedians, was convicted last Thursday of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.

A jury of eight men and four women found him guilty of attacking four of six women on allegations dating back to 2004. He was cleared of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.

The legal counsel are starting to file back into the courtroom. Justice Joel Bennathan has said he will deliver his sentencing remarks at 2pm.

Reporting from Southwark Crown Court

Brand has sat upright and remained remarkably composed throughout the trial, but he was seen looking down at his lap towards the end of this morning’s hearing.

When he left the dock, he could be seen clutching prayer beads in his right hand and nodding at his wife, Laura.

She seemed emotional when Ian Winter KC told the court she was standing by him.

“Words are completely inadequate… to convey the total devastation she’s experiencing,” he said.

Updated

Channel 4 worker assaulted by Brand said attack was 'brushed under the carpet'

Brand was convicted last week of forcing himself onto a woman in a Channel 4 radio studio, kissing her and groping her.

In her victim impact statement the woman says she spoke up immediately after the attack but it was “brushed under the carpet by senior management”.

“This really affected me and had something similar happened again at that time, I know I would not have had the confidence to speak up again. There was a culture at the time which meant I felt I had to just carry on and not talk about it anymore.”

She said she felt powerless in the moment. “It had a knock-on effect on my confidence because I felt like I had no control on that day and there was nothing I could do about what he did to me.”

She said giving evidence in court “to a room full of strangers and Russell Brand took me right back to how I felt on the day of the assault. It was a hugely distracting and overwhelming process and it took an awful lot out of me.”

“I am eternally grateful to the police and prosecution team for their support and for allowing my voice to be heard.

“I finally feel believed but I am still so anxious. I worry that there will be repercussions for telling the truth. This was and is being spoken about so much by the world media and social media, it’s left me feeling exposed and exhausted.”

Victim says Brand has 'no remorse' for his behaviour

One of Brand’s victims was assaulted by him at her workplace, attacked in a small room at the offices of Capital Radio in 2009.

Her victim impact statement was read out by Karmy-Jones:

Russell Brand is a sexual predator who has no remorse for how his behaviour has impacted my life. I just hope that he is not allowed to hurt any more women.

She relayed how Brand had “managed to move on and even forget that he sexually assaulted me violently in a very public place and in front of people.”

“This has had a lasting impact on my life even if I thought that I had successfully buried what happened.

“I recognise this now but I tried for so long to be strong and carry on- business as usual. However over the years hearing his voice on television, on social media or seeing his image made me jump. I had a strong adverse reaction, especially to his voice.”

She was diagnosed with severe anxiety 20 years later, after the first published reports about Brand’s actions against women were published.

“It was the first time in 20 years that I had spoken to anyone about what had happened. I almost decided to withdraw from the case as I did not think I was strong enough emotionally to proceed with my allegation.” But she persisted with bringing a case to police, with the support of the detectives and officers who took her case seriously she said.

Updated

Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC has asked Judge Bennathan for a category one sentence – where prison terms begin at 12 years, but have a range of 10-15 years depending on aggravating or ameliorating factors.

But she noted too that if the court didn’t agree with that category, the next level down, a category two sentence would have a starting point of eight years, with a range of seven-nine years.

Brand’s lawyer Ian Winter KC, pushed for a much more lenient punishment, a sentencing between category two and three.

Another detail revealed during Brand’s lawyers argument earlier was that one of the character testimonies given to the court came from the woman at the centre of the ‘Sachsgate’ scandal.

Brand built a career, partly based on this image where he would brag about his sexual exploits and pursuits of women.

In 2008, he was the host of a BBC show where and Jonathan Ross left voicemails on Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs’ phone, saying that Brand had slept with Sachs’ grand-daughter Georgina Baillie.

Brand subsequently left the BBC after the disgraceful prank and Ross was suspended.

Now, it’s been revealed that Baillie was one of six people who gave character references in support of Brand. She said he had helped paid for her alcohol rehab programme.

Brand’s lawyer Ian Winter read out some of her statement:“I still choose to support him as a person I know him to be.”

Updated

I’m just going to run through some other details the prosecution highlighted as “aggravating” factors, when presenting the case to the judge that Brand should receive the most serious category one level of sentencing.

In the case of the rape – where Brand removed his condom and anally penetrated a then-21-year-old fan at his home and then dismissed her afterwards, calling her “dirty” in follow-up messages – the prosecutor argued Brand knew of the young woman’s idolisation of him and abused that position of trust.

His victim was worried for months afterwards that she may have contracted HIV from him.

Karmy-Jones KC noted how he had pursued conversations with the “vulnerable young woman,” offering her advice on the problems she was having with her boyfriend at the time.

When Brand learned that she and her boyfriend had separated, he told her he would look out for her, that he would hold her.

“The court will wish to consider whether this introduces an element of abuse, of trust and manipulation”, said Karmy-Jones.

Updated

Recap

A quick recap of the arguments both sides have made. Brand’s lawyers are looking for a more lenient sentence, the prosecution has called for serious category one term.

  • Karmy-Jones KC pushed for Brand to receive a sentence of 10-15 years for the rape conviction, arguing that his crimes warranted such a level of punishment because of how he had abused his position, and then further degraded and humiliated his victims.

  • She said Brand had the view that he could abuse without impunity and he must bear some responsibility for the culture around him which enabled his offending for years.

  • Karmy-Jones read out three victim impact statements from the women abused by Brand. All described the debilitating impacts of his violence, and how it had damaged their relationships, careers, their feelings of self-worth and confidence and their day-to-day existence.

  • One woman delivering her statement in person to the judge. She said she had carried around “that undeserved feeling of shame” for 20 years.

  • All of the victims said they still carried the trauma with them to this day, and relayed the stressful experience of going to court to bring him to justice.

  • Brand’s lawyer, Ian Winter KC, argued that Brand was a fundamentally changed man these days.

  • He said the crimes had occurred 17 years ago, and had been “isolated incidents”. He described the rape that Brand has been convicted for as a “short and momentary failure” of consent.

  • Winter said any major sentence given out to Brand would have a “catastrophic” impact on his young family and urged Judge Bennathan to show mercy.

Updated

Both arguments have been made now. The judge has now adjourned to court to go and consider his sentencing decision.

He will be back at 2pm to deliver his remarks, which will be televised.

Winter is speaking at length about Brand’s rehabilitation and his religious care efforts in recent years.

He had concluded an earlier section of his argument by beseeching the judge to pass the sentencing judgment on the basis of Brand’s good character. He called Brand a “fundamentally different person today” and has pointed out the rapes and sexual assaults he has been convicted of took place 17 years ago.

“There is a side to Mr Brand that very few people know about,” he says, and notes that “a large number of people” have come forward to the defence team speaking of his good deeds. But he admits none of them wanted to go on the record or tell a court of this.

Winter concludes by urging the judge to sentence Brand, who he says is not the “monster portrayed outside this courtroom”, and to consider the “catastrophic” impact his jailing will have on his young children.

Updated

Brand's lawyer: 'We invite mercy'

Brand’s lawyer also pushes for the lower end of sentencing for the three sexual assault offences.

He turns to mitigating factors, and raises the “total devastation” experienced by Mrs Brand and the couple’s young children.

He entreats Justice Bennathan to show compassion and “we invite mercy”.

Updated

Defence says anal rape 'a short and momentary failure' by Brand

Winter argues that the judge should only confer sentencing on the rape offence for the “short and momentary failure” by Brand where he “did not respect her consent in two areas 1.) to be limited to vaginal sex and 2.) requiring the condom on throughout.”

He says that the woman had gone to Brand’s house to engage in consensual vaginal sex with him and so the former actor should only be sentenced on the anal rape.

He also argues that there wasn’t additional degradation or humiliation of the victim, saying the instances where Brand called her dirty after the attack, and inspected her for showering and teeth cleaning, and also told her to clean the sheets were not examples of behaviour that would make the crime more serious.

He says the offending does not fall within category one or category two sentencing, and says it should be considered between category two and three. A reminder that the prosecution has pushed for category one sentencing starting at 12 years.

“This should be regarded as a man who went too far, overrode the consent that was given in two respects, moving to the anus without consent, and removing the condom…. there was no planning, no premediation,” says Winter.

Updated

Defence barrister argues Brand's crimes were 'isolated incidents'

Brand’s lawyer is now delivering mitigating remarks to try and reduce Brand’s sentence.

He opens by saying that Brand has been a changed man since 2015, and the incidents had taken place while he was becoming famous and reaching the heights of his career.

Ian Winter KC says Brand is not the rapist as he’s been portrayed and says the attacks were all “isolated incidents”.

He notes that the last incident for which Brand has been convicted took place soon before he met his first wife, popstar Katy Perry.

Updated

Judge Bennathan agrees that Brand’s status as a celebrity amplified the pain and hurt felt by his victims, as we’ve heard in the victim statements, because they had to see him regularly in media appearances.

He also agrees with Karmy-Jones’ assessment that several of the women worked in the same industry as Brand, so he was even harder to escape from.

For the other sexual assault offences Brand has been convicted of, Karmy-Jones has asked for custodial sentences of 1-4 years for each count.

Prosecutors request 10 to 15-year sentence for rape conviction

Karmy-Jones has asked for a category one sentencing length for the rape conviction.

The gravity of such an offence carries a starting point of 12 years custody and a range of 10-15 years.

Karmy-Jones says Brand’s manipulation of the young woman, and his degrading treatment of her afterwards caused her severe psychological harm, warranting the more serious penalty.

Mr Brand abused the influence and power that came with his fame. He used it to facilitate an access to women without which the offending could not have taken place.

It also fed his own view that he could commit such offences with impunity.

This defendant must bear some responsibility for the culture of tolerance that existed around him which enabled his offending to continue for a number of years.

Updated

Prosecutor says Brand's crimes caused 'severe psychological harm'

Karmy-Jones is arguing for the judge to consider the most serious category of sentencing for Brand, noting the “extreme impact” of his crimes on his victims.

She goes through the “severe psychological harm” caused by Brand, outlining how the rape victim feared she had contracted HIV from Brand after the attack after he removed the condom without permission.

She says Brand subjected her to further degrading treatment after the rape, telling her to clean up the aftermath and also getting his driver to remove her from his house.

Karmy-Jones notes the age difference- the victim was 21 at the time – and Brand knew that she had idolised him, and was ‘star struck’.

Karmy- Jones says Brand knowingly exploited this by pursuing her through texts, phone calls and persuading her to meet up with him at his house, where he raped her.

Updated

Brand's public profile meant 'he remained present in my life' after rape, says victim

The woman raped by Brand says she had to take time off work and returned to live with her parents because she felt so unsafe. She struggled to eat and sleep after the attack, she felt humiliated and overwhelmed.

Because he had such an immense public profile, she found it difficult to speak out. She said she didn’t know who she could trust or confide in.

“I felt that if I reported him, I would not be believed. His fame, wealth and influence created a power imbalance which made me feel powerless.

“I did not have the confidence to challenge someone who appeared so powerful, rich and influential.

“His public profile meant he remained present in my life even when I wanted to move on.”

Updated

Rape victim abandoned comedy dream, abused alcohol to cope after attack

There are common refrains about loss of confidence and self-worth, and feeling on edge and in danger in public spaces.

The woman who was raped by Brand said that before the attack she had wanted to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian but abandoned that path afterwards.

The rape affected her day to day life. “I became hyper vigilant and frequently found myself analysing the behaviour of others.”

She says there were periods where she increased her alcohol consumption “to block out my feelings and memories”.

She says she suffered immense distress and anguish, from both the attack, as Brand’s profile rose, and also since, in pursuing a legal case.

“The consequences of what happened have affected almost every aspect of my life. Even now, I continue to experience anxiety, difficulties with trust, reduced confidence and the lasting effects of trauma.

“What happened is not something that I have simply been able to move on from.”

Updated

Judge Bennathan thanked the woman for coming to court to relay her statement in front of so many people.

Karmy-Jones KC is reading out the other victim impact statements from other women.

Updated

She says after becoming a mother, she gained strength from her daughter and came forward to report to police after the 2023 media reports.

She had a panic attack after seeing the reports of Brand committing similar crimes against other women. She describes the anguish of having people question her experience online and says she has also faced threats from Brand super-fans.

Updated

She goes on to relay how she watched Brand’s fame grow.

“For many years as his star was rising, he was all over the media, celebrated.”

She said she felt visibly sick at the sight of him being paraded around and lauded and “thinking he could get away with it.”

Victim felt she was 'damaged goods' after Brand attack, she tells court

She begins saying she wanted to express how this crime had affected her.

“I was in complete shock and turmoil for weeks trying to process” the abuse.

“I was extremely upset and traumatised,” by the incident.

“It really affected how I viewed myself, I didn’t have any respect for myself and got into situations with toxic men because I felt I didn’t have any self-worth.

“I lost love for myself for a long time, thinking I was damaged goods.”

“That undeserved feeling of shame and what if I did this or that, has been carried around for 20 years.”

Updated

Curtains are being drawn now so that one of the victims can be shielded from being seen by others in the courtroom as she reads out her remarks.

Blue screens are being set up too to create a sectioned-off quarter in the room.

She doesn’t want to be seen by Brand in the box either. She only wants to deliver her remarks to the judge, for his consideration in sentencing.

Updated

Karmy-Jones begins her remarks, briefly recounting Brand’s career trajectory and fame and success as a comedian.
She turns to the victim impact statements.

The judge says they will pull the curtains so he can hear the impact statement from the victim who has come to court to deliver her remarks.

The victim only wants to be seen by the judge.

Judge Bennathan confirms he is aiming to deliver his sentencing at 2pm, after considering the submissions from both sides.

Judge Joel Bennathan has entered the court. All rise.

Karmy-Jones is ready to deliver her opening remarks.

Both counsel have already made written submissions to the judge.

Updated

Sky News has been granted permission to broadcast Judge Bennathan’s sentencing remarks later today.

There has been a bit of a delay to the start of the hearing but the barristers in the case have now taken their seats.

The court appears to have been arranged to protect witnesses giving impact statements in court.

One of Brand’s victims is due to give her victim impact statement live in court, with others expected to be read by the prosecution.

Brand’s supporters including his wife, Laura, father, Ron, and security guard, Joe McCann, are in the public gallery, directly behind the dock.

Proceedings are beginning now. Chief prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC is up on her feet. She’ll be the first to deliver remarks.

The sentencing has been pushed back as court staff attempt to rearrange the courtroom so one of the victims can be protected, PA reports.

She will be reading her impact statement live in the courtroom.

Officers are trying to arrange the room so that the public gallery and Brand’s supporters cannot see this witness, who as I’ve mentioned earlier, is entitled to lifelong anonymity.

The other victims will have their statements read out by the prosecution.

Proceedings are due to begin shortly in Court 1 of Southwark Crown Court.

It’s expected that lead prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC will give the first address, making the case for the sentence length the Crown thinks is most appropriate.

Typically, the court can also expect to hear impact statements from victims during this period.

Brand’s defence lawyer, Ian Winter KC, will then make an argument for why his client should receive as short a sentence as possible.

Judge Bennathan then may retire for a short adjournment to weigh up each argument. But he is due to give his sentencing judgment today.

Updated

The four-week trial also heard tearful and forceful testimony from the six women who came forward to police about their experiences with Brand.

Brand was convicted of rape and sexual assault charges against four women. He was cleared of two further charges of rape and one of attempted indecent assault.

All of the women are entitled to lifelong anonymity under protection and privacy laws.

None of the women knew one another. But they reported their experiences to police in 2023, after The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4: Dispatches published investigations into Brand’s behaviour on allegations made by other women, who said they had been raped, sexually abused and degraded by the then actor-comedian. Those women are not involved in this criminal trial.

Brand’s defence lawyer, Ian Winter KC, cross-examined the women during the trial and asked them why they hadn’t run away or hit Brand, and why they had not reported the crimes earlier.

Domestic violence charities have criticised that line of questioning, saying it’s tantamout to victim blaming and such interrogations perpetuate harmful myths about abuse.

Updated

The four-week trial kicked off in September. The court heard that Brand had struggled to convince friends and former colleagues to provide evidence for him.

His wife, Laura Brand, 39, was one of the few who took the stand on 29 October to give evidence to his good character. The couple had first met when she was 19 and he 31.

She said Brand was a “wonderful father” and an “amazingly attentive husband”.

She said she had been aware of his infidelities and promiscuity. She said she had never felt sexually pressured by him.

“The way he treats me is to really know me, I feel very seen by him, in a way I’ve never experienced before. I love him very much.”

“We have a very frank, honest and clear relationship and marriage. It is one of the most important parts of our marriage, and our relationship has always been honest.”

Laura Brand has been in court most days at her husband’s rape trial, and arrived earlier for his sentencing.

Updated

Brand could face further charges

Following his conviction last week, the Met Police revealed that they were investigating further rape allegations against Brand, including one involving a then 16-year-old girl.

The Met said they had already questioned Brand on further complaints from two other women, and have submitted the files to crown prosecutors.

The lead detective in the case, Det Supt Andy Furphy, told the Guardian last week he believed there could be more victims.

If you get a conviction then it tends to encourage other people to come forward because they see the courage and the bravery and the resilience that these women have had to go through this criminal justice process, and they feel their own strength as a result of that. They want to come forward and have their story told.

The Met’s investigation into Brand, named Operation Actinolite, involved tracing and speaking to more than 100 witnesses, reviewing more than 1,400 documents and taking more than 340 statements, including from Brand’s former employers, colleagues and associates.

Brand has also been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his mansion in Los Angeles in 2008, in a civil claim filed at the high court in London.

Brand arrives in prison van for sentencing

The former actor-comedian was transported to Southwark Crown Court in a white prison van. He was held at HMP Wandsworth on the weekend.

His wife, Laura Brand, who has been a steadfast and loyal supporter by his side, has also just entered the court. She gave testimony on his behalf, attesting to his good character during the trial.

The couple have three young children together.

Brand denied bail after conviction

The actor-comedian had been free but was taken into custody immediately after the jury returned the guilty verdicts last Thursday.

His defence lawyer Ian Winter KC had put in a plea for bail, arguing for Brand to have the weekend to say goodbye to his wife and three children.

But this was rejected by Justice Bennathan on the grounds that Brand, with his money and connections, posed a flight risk.

There were substantial grounds to “fear he might in the end not feel able to come along and face his sentence”, the judge said.

I regret the hardship caused to the children, of course.

But the hardship has been caused by serious criminal offending by their father.

Sitting in the courtroom last week, Brand had closed his eyes when the guilty verdict for the rape charge was read out. After his bail was denied, he gestured OK to his lawyers and repeated “I’m good, I’m good, I’m good”, before being taken away by guards.

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Brand's convictions

The jury of eight men and four women deliberated for more than eight hours last week to return a unanimous verdict where they found Brand guilty on four of the seven charges.

He was found guilty of one count of rape and three incidents of sexual assault. He was acquitted of two rape counts and one attempted incident.

Brand had pleaded not guilty to all the offences, telling the court he believed he never had non-consensual sex.

But the jury found he had committed crimes against four women between 2004-2009 in different locations, in a central London bar, a radio station, recording studio and his former home in Hampstead, London.

  • He was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman at a colleague’s birthday party in a bar in Soho, London in 2004, but found not guilty of orally raping her in a bathroom.

  • He was found guilty of kissing and groping another woman at a London radio station in 2004 or 2005

  • He was convicted of anally raping a fan at his home after meeting her backstage at one of his comedy shows in 2009

  • He was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman who says the comedian demanded a massage and pressed his face into her groin during an advert recording in 2009.

He was acquitted of raping another woman in a hotel room during the Labour Party annual conference in Bournemouth in 1999, and of attempting to indecently assault a woman by dragging her into the bathrooms in the London offices of MTV music channel.

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Brand to be sentenced for rape and sexual assault today

Good morning. Russell Brand will be sentenced today after being found guilty of raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others in seperate incidents between 2004-2009.

The disgraced former comedian and Hollywood star has been behind bars since he was convicted by a jury last Thursday, denied bail by his trial judge who ruled that he posed a flight risk.

During the four-week trial, prosecutors had argued that Brand was a ruthless, calculating, manipulative “sexual predator” who pursued women relentlessly and exploited his fame and power to get what he wanted from them sexually.

The 51-year-old father of three is now facing a “significant” prison term, Justice Joel Bennathan said last week.

The sentencing is taking place in Southwark Crown Court in London and commences at 10:30am GMT. I’ll bring you all the developments.

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