Russell Brand was sentenced on Monday, Nov. 9, to 10 years and six months in prison for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others, London's Metropolitan Police said after the hearing. The 51-year-old comedian and actor, known to American audiences from films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, will also be on the U.K. sex offenders' register for life.

The sentence came at Southwark Crown Court in London, the same court where a jury convicted him last week. Edit USA reported the verdict on Nov. 5, when the hearing was set for this Monday.

What the court heard

A tall tan brick courthouse behind bare trees and black railings, with people walking past on the street
Southwark Crown Court in London, where Brand was tried and sentenced. Photo from 2011.Christopher Hilton / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

The offenses took place between 2004 and 2009, while his career was growing past stand-up into TV and film, the Crown Prosecution Service said when he was convicted. He was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault after a four-week trial.

Victim impact statements from all four women were read in court on Monday. Under U.K. law, they keep their anonymity for life.

According to the police, the judge praised the "hard work of the Metropolitan Police in gathering evidence and taking great care of the women who testified." Two of the women's statements were quoted in the release. "I finally feel believed," one said.

What the police and prosecutors said

Russell Brand in a wide-brimmed hat and patterned shirt standing on a stage holding a microphone
Brand at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in December 2025, before his trial.Xuthoria / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who led the investigation, spoke outside court. "Today's sentence marks a significant milestone in our investigation and means Russell Brand has been held accountable for his crimes," he said, adding that the case "was never about Russell Brand's profile, status or celebrity."

When the jury returned its verdicts, David Roberts, a senior Crown prosecutor in London's rape and serious sexual offenses unit, said Brand "was predatory and used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes."

The police release does not include a response from Brand or his lawyers, and it does not say whether he plans to appeal. During the investigation he gave four interviews and said repeatedly that he did not recognize the women, the police said after the verdict.

The Met said anyone who wants to report a sexual offense to its detectives can email [email protected].