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Russell Brand now knows his fate after being convicted of rape and three counts of sexual assault in the United Kingdom.
As we reported, a jury found the 51-year-old comedian guilty of four of the seven charges against him on Thursday following a trial involving allegations from six women.
The accusations concerned incidents dating from 1999 to 2009. The women described encounters in settings including a hotel, a bar, a radio station, a workplace, as well as his own home.
The Get Him To The Greek star had previously denied all seven charges. As Sky News reported, he acknowledged during the trial that he’d been “reckless” in his pursuit of women and had used his fame to seek sexual relationships years ago, but he maintained that his encounters were consensual, telling jurors that consent was “fundamental, essential and necessary.”
Related: Russell Comments On Ruby Rose’s Sexual Assault Allegations Against His Ex-Wife Katy Perry
Brand continued to deny wrongdoing the entire time, at one point saying in a video shared last year that he had struggled with drug and sex addiction but “what I never was was a rapist.” He insisted he had never engaged in nonconsensual sexual activity.
The jury didn’t buy it, though, and now he’s been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison by Southwark Crown Court in London. According to TMZ, the actor’s legal team plans to appeal.
Two of the victims have spoken out since his sentencing, saying they are “grateful” with one thanking “the police team who from the start took my testimony seriously and the prosecution team who have been with me throughout this process. I do not believe that I could have come this far without them.” And the other feeling relieved for the prosecution’s support “for allowing my voice to be heard. I finally feel believed.”
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For more information on violence against women, go to https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-for-survivors.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]