Russell Brand jailed for 10 and a half years for rape and sexual assault

Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for the rape of one woman and the sexual assault of three others between 2004 and 2009. The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, said Brand was a sexual predator who showed 'staggering arrogance'. He told Brand that whatever women wear, wherever they go and whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no. Brand will serve two-thirds of the sentence, about seven years, before he can be released on licence. The sentence was passed at Southwark Crown Court, where Brand had been held since his conviction last Thursday.

Victim impact statements were read to the court before sentencing. One woman gave her statement in person from behind a screen, saying she had felt like 'damaged goods' and had carried an undeserved sense of shame for more than 20 years. Another said Brand was a sexual predator who had no remorse. The woman he raped said she still carried the trauma with her every day. BBC News reported that one victim ended her statement with the line that 'a leopard may change its spots, but it's still a leopard'. Brand showed little emotion as the sentence was passed and mouthed to his wife, Laura, that he was all right.

The judge said Brand's fame had protected him until 2023, when journalists published allegations in a Channel 4 documentary and in The Times. He said the women had faced being told they had lied or twisted the truth because of Brand's instructions. The police and the Crown Prosecution Service said the case showed that fame, status and the passage of time did not change the issue of consent. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said the investigation had never been about Brand's profile or celebrity. David Roberts, a senior Crown prosecutor, said the evidence showed Brand to be a manipulative sexual predator.

The Metropolitan Police are investigating further rape allegations made by two other women. One was 16 at the time of the alleged assault, Channel 5 reported. The force has urged anyone with fresh allegations to come forward. Channel 4 reported that the prosecution had argued Brand should be sentenced on the basis of the highest category of harm.

The case prompted wider debate about the treatment of complainants and the entertainment industry. BBC Two's Politics Live discussed a Telegraph report that rape myths could be banned from court after the trial. The programme also carried comments from Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said rape and serious sexual offence teams would be in every police force by the end of next year. On BBC Two's Newsnight, Brand's defence barrister was reported to have said the rape happened after fully consensual intercourse and was a short, momentary failure to respect consent. Natasha Saunders, who took her former husband to court, said she wished the case marked a turning point but did not believe it would.

Former colleagues and campaigners gave evidence of a culture that shielded Brand. ITV reported that former BBC radio presenter Liz Kershaw said management had enabled Brand and called for answers at Broadcasting House. Emily Barnes, a former production assistant at MTV, said she had been harassed by Brand and felt powerless to complain. BBC One reported that the BBC had received eight complaints about Brand, including exposing himself in an office, while Channel 4 had also investigated and apologised.

Jemima Goldsmith, a former girlfriend, said she had called the police during a violent incident in 2014 and described experiencing Brand's violence and coercive control. She also addressed an injunction obtained with Brand in 2015, saying it was intended to stop harassment by another woman and not to suppress an assault allegation. Channel 5 reported that Brand's father said outside court he was ashamed of the system and did not believe the victims. He also asked whether the women had 'chased him'.