Russell Brand must serve 10 and a half years in prison for rape

An exemplary sentence of ten and a half years in prison was imposed on the British actor Russell Brand, a TV and web celebrity in the United Kingdom and the USA, as well as ex-husband of the American pop star Katy Perry, after he was found guilty last week of the rape of one of his fans - 21 years old at the time - and of sexual harassment against three other women between 2004 and 2009. The 51-year-old former comedian showed no emotion while judge Joel Bennathan read the sentence, noting that Brand had acted with "shocking arrogance" and shown "contempt" for his victims.

A few meters away from him, his wife Laura, with whom the actor had three children, appeared shocked when she heard about the long prison term decided for her husband, even though probation should come after two thirds of the sentence. “Everything will be fine,” Brand told her as prison officers ushered him out of the courtroom at Southwark Crown Court in London and into Wandsworth Prison. The judge defined Brand as a "sexual predator" protected by his fame: the crimes occurred when the radio and TV star was at the height of his success and boasted of being a merciless and provocative playboy, in an era in which there was not yet 'MeToo' and in the world of entertainment it seemed that everything was allowed. The actor, who has reinvented himself as a Christian online guru and is also known for his conspiracy theories, made the sign of the cross while clutching a rosary in his hands before one of the victims read his testimony in the courtroom from behind a screen.

The woman said she was "traumatised" by the attack she suffered in 2004 in a London bar. “For many years, while his star was on the rise, it was impossible not to see him everywhere in the media, celebrated for his disgusting behavior towards women as if it were all a joke,” she said. And the fan raped in 2009, after meeting the former comedian at one of his shows, explained that she feared she "wouldn't be believed" if she reported him.

“His notoriety, his wealth and his influence created a power imbalance that left me feeling powerless,” she said, adding that violence marked “almost every aspect” of his life. Labor Prime Minister Andy Burnham also spoke about the trial, which deeply affected British public opinion: he paid tribute to the courage of the women who came forward. The Prime Minister then pledged to be "tireless in making all possible improvements" to offer greater support to victims of sexual violence. The case also prompted the government to issue a warning to the media, accused of not yet doing enough to protect women: "time is up".

The BBC also came under fire, where Brand had been a radio host until 2008. A few days ago the public broadcaster had apologized for the "culture and shortcomings" of those years, but according to a well-known former employee, the veteran DJ Liz Kershaw, the company had "allowed" Brand's behaviour, without intervening when suspicions were already circulating. And for the actor the legal troubles may not be over: Scotland Yard has opened new investigations for rape after complaints from two other women.