00:00Russell Brand has been jailed for 10 and a half years for rape and sexual assault.
00:04With the majority of today's sentencing held behind closed doors,
00:07here's what went down inside Court 1, including harrowing statements from the
00:11four women whose testimonies brought him to justice. The first woman, appearing in person,
00:16told the court the 2004 Soho assault left her feeling like damaged goods,
00:20describing the death threats and victim blaming she endured from Brand's supporters as terrifying.
00:24A second woman said being assaulted in 2005 permanently altered how she trusted male
00:30colleagues at work. The woman who was anally raped at Brand's home spoke of the intense fear she had
00:35contracted HIV after Brand removed a condom without her consent, saying she was left feeling humiliated
00:41and degraded. And the final victim stated that the culture of her workplace silenced her at the time,
00:46leaving her with trauma that will haunt her every single day. Inside the dock, Brand's demeanor drew
00:51immediate attention. Dressed in what's believed to be the same grey suit he was convicted in,
00:56the 51-year-old showed almost no emotion as those devastating statements were read aloud.
01:01Instead, he spent much of the hearing clutching white rosary beads, reciting prayers and quietly
01:06moving the beads through his fingers. There were also bizarre exchanges with his wife,
01:10Laura, sitting in the public gallery just behind him. Brand mouth,
01:13it'll be okay, I don't know how, but it will, to his wife. Laura was then also seen mouthing,
01:18oh God, as her husband walked into the dock and then said, I love you. His defence team attempted
01:22to argue Brand never intended to degrade his rape victim, claiming his behaviour was that of
01:27an inconsiderate recovering alcoholic. The judge firmly rejected that narrative, calling Brand a
01:32sexual predator who showed an arrogant disregard to women. Mr. Justice Benathan sentenced him to 10
01:37and a half years, praising the courage of the women whose testimonies finally brought him to justice.
