Former comedian Russell Brand, who was once one of the most prominent figures in the British media and starred in several Hollywood films, is facing a multi-year prison sentence after being found guilty today by a London court of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.
Prosecutors said that Brand, the ex-husband of famous American singer Katy Perry, was obsessed with sex and used women to satisfy his desires. One victim described how he treated her “like an animal.”
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Funny and charming when he wanted to be, but also ruthless, scheming, and manipulative, the now 51-year-old Brad was interested only in getting whatever he wanted from women, prosecutor Riel Karmi-Jones told the jury at Southwark Crown Court.
She said that his testimony contained “a degree of contempt” toward the women who accused him, which, she noted, reflected his overall attitude toward women during the period when the offenses were committed.
Brad now faces a prison sentence, and he may be the subject of further legal action, as police announced that he remains under investigation for two additional allegations of alleged rape. He has denied ever having sexual relations without the other party’s consent.
Russell Brand had denied all charges against him, arguing that the events, which took place more than 20 years ago, either took place with the consent of those involved or were the product of fabrication or fantasy.
In his testimony, he admitted that he had devoted a large part of his life to “reckless romantic escapades and follies,” but he emphasized that sexual consent was fundamental.
However, at the conclusion of the four-week trial, the jury found the defendant guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault. At the same time, they acquitted him of two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Judge Joel Binnathan said he would announce the sentence on Monday, with Brad facing a multi-year prison term. Brad’s request for release on bail was denied, and he was taken into custody.
As the verdict was read, Brad showed no emotion.
“Okay, okay, okay,” he said to his lawyers as they led him away from the defendant’s bench to be taken to prison.
“My opinion is that he is a sexual predator who abused the power he gained throughout his career, and his audacity grew as he became more and more famous,”, Police Inspector Laura Nelson, who led the investigation, told Reuters.
The court heard the emotionally charged testimonies of six women who accused him, all of whom are entitled to remain anonymous for life.
None of the women knew the others, but all of them went to the police after the airing of a television documentary and news reports in 2023, in which other women had made separate allegations against Brand. These women did not participate in the criminal trial.
Throughout his career, Brad made no secret of his struggles with drug abuse and sexual addiction. A witness told the court that Brad boasted that he wanted to have sex with 5,000 women.
His former personal assistant, Helen Berger, who worked for him from 2006 to 2007, described him as having a “bizarre sexual appetite.” “He never seemed happy after sex; rather, he seemed more melancholic,” she stated in her testimony.
Source: KYPE
