Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison after being found guilty of sexual assault and rape. Now, his Florida pal, Donald Trump Jr., has broken his silence with a claim that is raising eyebrows.
Earlier this week, Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault involving four women.
The 51-year-old comedian and actor was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault after a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London. The offenses took place between 2004 and 2009, during the height of his fame.
During sentencing, Judge Joel Bennathan described Russel Brand as a “sexual predator” and criticized his “staggering arrogance” surrounding the allegations.
Moreover, the judge added that Brand had shown a “casual, arrogant disregard of any woman’s right to say no.”
“Whatever women wear, wherever they go, whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no and demand justice in the criminal courts when sexual predators like you, Mr Brand, act without their consent,” Judge Joel Bennethan said, per BBC.
In a press release from the Metropolitan Police, one victim of Brand said, “I am grateful to the support from the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (IVSA), 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.”
Russell Brand – rape conviction and prison sentence
A second victim added, “I am eternally grateful to the police and prosecution team for their support and for allowing my voice to be heard. I finally feel believed.”
The judge also criticized Brand’s belief that his celebrity status meant he could behave however he wanted, saying he had acted “unhindered by the rules by which decent people live”.
Brand denied the charges and maintained that his sexual encounters had been consensual. He was acquitted of two further counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.
The allegations first became public in 2023 following investigations by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s ‘Dispatches’. Moreover, Brand is facing further police investigations into additional allegations.
So what comes next for Russell Brand? Well, he is expected to serve his 10-year-and-six-month sentence at HMP Wandsworth in London, where he was taken following his conviction, according to The Standard.
Why Russell Brand could be released earlier
His final prison placement has not been officially confirmed as of Thursday, November 12.
But despite receiving a sentence of more than 10 years, Brand is not expected to spend the entire period behind bars. Because of the applicable sentencing rules, the convicted actor and comedian must serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before he may be eligible for release on license.
That means he could be released after approximately seven years, potentially around November 2033, if we assume the sentence length remains unchanged.
However, his release would come with strict conditions. He would remain under license supervision for the remainder of his sentence and could face restrictions, including electronic monitoring.
Brand will also be required to remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.
While many have taken action against Russell Brand following both the allegations and the conviction, others have stepped out to defend him. One of them is Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump.
Donald Trump Jr. makes claim about Russell Brand amid rape conviction
Russell Brand decided to turn to faith a few years ago. He adopted his Christian beliefs a few years ago and was baptized in 2024. That, according to Donald Jr., is something to consider.
On his show Triggered on Tuesday, November 10, Trump Jr. claimed that “no one had a problem” with Russell Brand when he was married to Katy Perry, before suggesting the comedian was later targeted because of his Christian beliefs.
Brand and Trump Jr. reportedly grew close in recent years, particularly after the comedian relocated to Florida, according to Hello! Magazine.
“He finds God, I guess, changes his ways, sees some aspects of conservative life, and talks about them, and now he’s going to spend 10 and a half years in prison for rape when no one had a problem with it in the prior 27 years,” Trump Jr. said on his show.
Trump Jr. further claimed that Brand had been convicted “with no forensic evidence, no DNA” or “no police report from the time” on “decades-old allegations.”
“So, when he was, like, married to Katy Perry, he’s one of the most famous actors in the world, no one seemed to have a problem,” Trump continued on Triggered. “No one seemed to think he was a rapist then.”
He also took aim at the British justice system, calling it “two-tier,” arguing that Brand had received an especially harsh sentence.
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