Russell Brand sentenced to 10½ years in prison for rape and sexual assault
Photo: MEGA via The Blast (file photo)British comedian and actor Russell Brand was sentenced Monday to 10 years and six months in prison after a London jury convicted him of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.
The sentence was handed down at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday, Nov. 9, five days after the jury found Brand, 51, guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Judge Joel Bennathan sentenced Brand to nine years for the rape, to run consecutively with 18 months for the three sexual assault counts — nine months, 18 months and eight months, running concurrently with one another — for a total of 10 years and six months. Brand must serve two-thirds of the sentence in custody before he is eligible for release on licence.
In court, the judge told Brand he believed "fame meant you could act how you liked, when you liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live." He praised the "determination and bravery" of the women who came forward.
As Brand left the dock, he mouthed "I love you" to his wife, Laura Brand, who was in court. He had clutched a crucifix in his hands as he was jailed.
The offenses took place between 2004 and 2009, according to the Metropolitan Police. Prosecutors said Brand groped an MTV worker during a party at a Soho bar in 2004, sexually assaulted a Choice FM worker after encountering her in the Capital Radio studios in 2005, and raped a 21-year-old fan after meeting her at his stand-up show at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2009.
The trial began on Oct. 12 and lasted about four weeks, with testimony from six accusers as well as Brand himself. Brand pleaded not guilty and denied engaging in any non-consensual sexual activity, though he testified that he had "misused" his fame to have sexual encounters with women.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Monday that Brand "has been held accountable for his crimes," adding: "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."
One of Brand's victims said in a statement she was "grateful" to police and prosecutors "who have been with me throughout this process," while another said, "I finally feel believed."
The allegations against Brand were first reported in a 2023 joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and the current-affairs program Dispatches. Police said detectives gathered evidence from more than 100 witnesses, took more than 400 witness statements and reviewed over 1,400 documents during the investigation.
Police said two other rape investigations into allegations against Brand remain ongoing.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, the National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support at 1-800-656-4673 or at rainn.org.
Sources: USA Today, "Russell Brand sentenced to 10.5 years in prison for rape, sexual assault" (Nov. 9, 2026, full text verified; contributing: Reuters); PEOPLE, "Russell Brand Sentenced to 10-and-a-Half Years After Being Found Guilty of Rape and Sexual Assault in London Trial" (Nov. 9, 2026, full text verified, per the BBC and The Guardian); Metropolitan Police, statement from Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy (Nov. 9, 2026). Event date verified: Monday, November 9, 2026.
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