British comedian Russell Brand was sentenced on Monday to 10 years and six months in prison for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.

The 51-year-old actor was convicted last week at London's Southwark Crown Court of crimes committed between 2004 and 2009. Judge Joel Bennathan called Brand a "sexual predator" who showed "casual and arrogant disregard" for women who said no.

A jury of eight men and four women found Brand guilty of attacking four of six accusers. He was cleared of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. The rape conviction related to a young fan. Brand met the woman after a 2009 show at the Hammersmith Apollo.

The sexual assault convictions involved three women. One was an MTV worker groped at a 2004 Soho bar party. Another was a Capital Radio worker assaulted in a corridor in 2005. The third was a Channel 4 worker subjected to a forced massage in 2009.

Brand maintained his innocence and testified that all encounters were consensual. He showed little emotion during the sentencing. He mouthed "we'll be OK" to his wife Laura Gallacher as court officers led him away.

The judge said Brand's entourage may have written off the assaults as "laddish" behavior. "It was outrageous and possibly laddish, but also a criminal sexual offense," Bennathan said. Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones said Brand abused the power that came with his fame.

Victims delivered impact statements behind a curtain. The woman Brand raped said she felt unable to challenge someone who appeared so powerful. "I did not have the confidence to challenge someone who appeared so powerful, rich and influential," she said.

Another victim said the 2004 assault left her feeling like "damaged goods." She said it was impossible to escape seeing Brand celebrated in the media for his behavior. A third victim said hearing his voice on television made her jump.

Defense lawyer Ian Winter cited Brand's charitable work and lack of previous convictions. He noted Brand's only prior conviction was for marijuana possession in 1995. Winter asked the judge to consider the impact on Brand's three young children.

Brand will serve two-thirds of the sentence before release on licence. He will also face indefinite notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The nine-year rape sentence runs consecutively to the concurrent assault sentences.

The accusers came forward after a 2023 investigation by The Times and Channel 4. Police are investigating additional allegations from two more women. One allegation involves a woman who dated Brand when he was 30 and she was 16.