Russell Brand Sentenced to 10.5 Years in London

Russell Brand, a 51-year-old British actor and comedian, spent his first night in custody on Monday after a London court handed down a 10-year and six-month prison term. The sentence follows a guilty verdict returned by the jury on Thursday.

Judge Joel Bennathan of the Southwark Crown Court imposed the penalty for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The offenses occurred against four different women during a five-year period from 2004 to 2009. The judge described Brand as a sexual predator while acknowledging the courage of the victims in enduring the trauma.

Ten years of the total sentence apply to the rape charge. This specific crime involved a 21-year-old fan whom Brand met after a performance at the Hammersmith Apollo in London in 2009. He was found guilty of anally raping her. The remaining time covers the other three sexual assaults.

The other convictions include a 2005 incident where Brand kissed and groped an employee of Capital Radio in a hallway. A 2004 charge involved him touching the breasts of an MTV worker at a party in a Soho bar. The final conviction relates to a 2009 incident where he sexually assaulted a Channel 4 employee who had requested a massage during a recording session.

The jury acquitted Brand on three other counts, including two rapes and one attempted indecent assault. Judge Bennathan noted Brand's recent work helping people with addictions and his family responsibilities as a father of three. These factors were considered during the sentencing process.

Brand will serve a minimum of seven years before he becomes eligible for parole. He was held in the court's internal facilities before transfer to a prison. During the proceedings, he wore a crucifix around his neck. Upon hearing the verdict, he looked at his wife, Laura Gallacher, and told her he loved her.