Russell Brand sentenced to 10.5 years in rape and sexual assault cases
CNN Central News & Networks / ITDC India ePress / ITDC News / Agencies, Bhopal:
Hollywood actor and British comedian Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison in a sexual offences case involving four women. London’s Southwark Crown Court delivered the verdict on Monday. Last week, a jury found him guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three other women. The incidents took place between 2004 and 2009.
While pronouncing the sentence, Judge Joel Benathan described Brand as a “sexual predator”. The court said he appeared to believe, because of his fame and popularity, that he could do anything without regard for women’s wishes and consent. The judge made it clear that every woman has the full right to refuse by her own choice, and that any sexual relationship without her consent is a crime.
Guilty in four of seven charges
Russell Brand faced a total of seven charges. These included three charges of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent sexual assault. The jury found him guilty in one rape case and three sexual assault cases, while acquitting him of two other rape charges and one indecent assault charge. Brand had denied all the allegations. The court also refused to grant him bail.
Was married to Katy Perry
Russell Brand’s personal life has also remained in the spotlight for a long time. He married American pop singer Katy Perry in October 2010. However, the relationship did not last long, and the two divorced in December 2011. Neither of them publicly discussed in detail the reason for the breakdown of the marriage, which lasted around 14 months. Brand later married Laura Gallacher in 2017, and they have three children.
The case has once again brought questions linked to fame, influence and women’s consent into discussion in the entertainment world. Police in Britain are also investigating two other alleged rape cases against Brand.
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