Russell Brand begins 10-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault

British entertainer Russell Brand has begun serving a 10-and-a-half-year prison sentence after being convicted in London of rape and sexual assault, thejournal.ie reported. His sentencing followed a four-week criminal trial in which a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, as FTMQ News reported earlier. [2][4][8][9]

During the sentencing, Mr Justice Bennathan stated that Brand exhibited an arrogant disregard for a woman's right to say no, according to thejournal.ie. The judge added that Brand believed he could act how he liked and when he liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live. [5]

Following the sentencing, Jemima Goldsmith claimed that she previously had to call the police to have Brand removed during a violent incident, thejournal.ie reported. Goldsmith reportedly dated the former presenter for around a year in 2014. [2]

The Guardian reported that victims described the lifelong impact of his crimes and expressed distress over his public behavior. ABC News Australia reported that Brand previously built a career as a comedian, actor, and online commentator prior to his trial in London. [3][4]