British former comedian and actor Russell Brand don land 10 years and six months prison sentence for rape and sexual assault for Southwark Crown Court for London.
Justice Joel Bennathan give the sentence on Monday. The court find Brand guilty on November 5 of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Dem acquit am of two rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault. Under the sentence, e go serve at least two-thirds, around seven years, before e fit qualify for release.
As e dey read im sentencing remarks, the judge describe Brand as a ‘sexual predator’. E say Brand claim during trial say e ‘never touched a woman without her consent’ na one of a ‘series of lies’. The judge also talk about the sexual assault for one bar for Soho in 2004, and another one at Choice FM studios in 2004 or 2005 where Brand grab the victim face, kiss her, and touch her breasts and bottom. E call that one sustained and say e add humiliation in front of others.
For the 2009 rape, the judge say when Brand order the victim to clean im sheets, na humiliation. E also say the sexual assault at Channel 4 in 2009 show ‘staggering arrogance’, and add say Brand entourage indulge im dreadful behaviour.
Brand no react to the sentence inside court, but reporter tok say e mouth ‘I love you’ to im wife. Im wife Laura Gallacher and im father Ron stand by am for court.
Crown Prosecution Service senior crown prosecutor David Roberts thank the women wey e say be ‘at the heart of this case’. E say dem no know each other, and each person don carry wetin happen to dem for almost two decades. Roberts say giving evidence and facing questions about ‘deeply traumatising, personal events’ take extraordinary courage. E add say the sentence no fit undo the harm the victims don live with, but e hope say e go bring dem some measure of justice.
Roberts describe Brand as a ‘manipulative sexual predator’ wey use im growing fame and power to create situations to pursue women sexually, regardless of wetin dem want and with complete disregard for the impact of im actions. E say the result show say fame, status and passage of time no change the fundamental issue of consent.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones call Brand ruthless, calculating and manipulative ‘sexual predator’ wey treat women as ‘disposable commodity’. She say Brand abuse the influence and power wey come with fame, use am to get access to women, and e feed im own belief say e fit commit such offences with impunity.
One woman wey Brand sexually assault for 2004 or 2005 tell court for her impact statement say Brand be ‘sexual predator who has no remorse’. Another woman wey e rape for 2009 afta dem meet for one comedy show for London say she dey ‘living with trauma’. She say im fame make am ‘difficult to escape reminders of what had happened’, she worry say she fit get HIV afta the attack, e hard her to eat and sleep, she take two to three months off work and abandon the career she begin.
The judge say although the rape happen 17 years ago, e still affect the woman ability to form new friendships and to know when she fit trust people. A third woman wey Brand assault while she dey work on Channel 4 documentary say afta the attack she feel like she ‘lost my trust in people’.
Outside court, Det Supt Andy Furphy from the Metropolitan Police and David Roberts from the Crown Prosecution Service bin dey deliver statements. A large white prison van also leave Southwark Crown Court, though e no clear whether Brand dey inside.
