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Judge honours women's bravery before handing Brand his prison term

The courtroom recording explains how concurrent sexual-assault sentences and a consecutive rape sentence produce a total of ten years and six months.

Channel: Sky News ·

United KingdomStory of November 10, 2026Trari Newsroom

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Watch as Russell Brand is jailed for more than 10 years for rape and sexual assault

Things we can learn from the video

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0:00Bennathan considers previous good character, elapsed time and addiction-support work as mitigating factors.
2:06Mitigation reduces the sentence he would otherwise impose for rape by one year.
3:10The judge pays tribute to the women who testified and commends the Metropolitan Police.
3:55Three sexual-assault sentences run concurrently; the longest is 18 months.
4:20A consecutive nine-year rape sentence brings the total to ten years and six months.
4:34The judge outlines custody, release on licence and indefinite sex-offender notification requirements.

Before asking Russell Brand to stand for sentence, Mr Justice Bennathan pauses to acknowledge the women who testified.

"I pause to pay tribute to the determination and bravery of all the women whose evidence I have been recounting," he says. He also commends the Metropolitan Police's work.

The recording, published by the United Kingdom's Sky News, shows the closing sentencing remarks at Southwark Crown Court in London. The broadcaster reports that the comedian and actor was convicted of rape and three sexual assaults.

Bennathan first considers mitigation: Brand's lack of previous convictions, the passage of 17 years and his addiction-support work. He explains that good character carries less weight as an offence becomes more serious, but reduces the sentence he would otherwise have imposed for rape by a year.

The judge also explains why he did not order a pre-sentence report: "These crimes are far too serious for anything other than immediate custody."

The final calculation comes just after four minutes. Three sexual-assault sentences run concurrently, meaning they are served together, with the longest lasting 18 months. The nine-year rape sentence runs consecutively, adding to that period rather than overlapping it. The total is ten years and six months.

Bennathan then sets out the terms: Brand is to serve two-thirds in custody, followed by release on licence, and will remain subject to sex-offender notification requirements indefinitely.

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