British actor and comedian Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being convicted of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women. The sentence was handed down Monday at Southwark Crown Court in London, following a four-week trial that ended with a jury finding Brand guilty on four of seven criminal charges.

The 51-year-old was convicted of offenses committed between 2004 and 2009. The jury found him guilty of raping a woman at his home in 2009 and sexually assaulting three other women in separate incidents. He was acquitted of two additional rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. Brand denied all allegations, maintaining that his sexual encounters were consensual.

Prosecutors argued that Brand exploited his celebrity status, influence and access to women to facilitate the offenses. They sought a lengthy prison term, citing the psychological harm experienced by the victims and the circumstances surrounding the crimes. The judge determined that the seriousness of the offenses warranted a substantial custodial sentence. Brand is expected to serve approximately two-thirds of the term before becoming eligible for parole, according to Sky News.

The allegations that led to the criminal investigation first gained widespread attention in September 2023, following reports by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches. The subsequent Metropolitan Police investigation involved more than 100 witnesses and hundreds of witness statements. Authorities said the offenses involved four women who were not known to one another.

Brand, who previously built a career in British television, stand-up comedy and Hollywood films, has faced mounting public scrutiny since the allegations emerged. Following the guilty verdict, he was denied bail and taken into custody ahead of sentencing. Police have also indicated that separate allegations involving two other women remain under investigation.

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