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Former actor and comedian Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for rape and sexual assault.
During the hearing on Monday at Londons Southwark Crown Court, Judge Joel Bennathan delivered the sentence, describing Brand as a sexual predator and saying that his fame protected him until 2023, when Channel 4 and The Times of London published allegations about his conduct, reported Deadline. The judge also pointed out Russell Brands staggering arrogance in the way he treated women, further calling out his associates for indulging his dreadful behaviour. On the other hand, Brand consistently maintained his innocence, as he told the jury, Consent is fundamental, essential, necessary, and in many ways more important than the sex itself, the Deadline report added. Present during the hearing was Brands wife, Laura Brand, who also gave evidence during the trial. She described her husband as amazingly attentive and kind, telling the jury, I love him very much. Last week, the jury at the Southwark Crown Court had convicted Brand on three counts of sexual assault and one count of rape. However, he was not found guilty on two other counts of rape and one of attempted indecent assault, which was reduced from indecent assault during the trial. Brand had firmly denied all the charges based on allegations made by six women, as per Deadline. Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand that he would be given a "custodial sentence of some length," further remanding him to custody until sentencing on Monday. Stating that it was unlikely he would extend the former comedian's bail any further, the judge told the 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' star, "Youve been convicted of a number of offences including one of rape My current view is that I therefore have to remand you in custody, not least because the temptation to avoid coming back to court to receive that sentence will be overwhelming." According to Variety, Russell Brand was accused of raping three women at various locations between 1999 and 2009. One of the alleged victims also accused him of sexual assault in addition to oral rape. He was also accused of one count of attempted indecent assault at MTV's UK offices in 2001 and one count of sexual assault in 2009. (ANI)
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