By Sam Tobin
LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The victims of comedian Russell Brand, once one of Britain's most high-profile broadcasters and star of Hollywood movies, said at his sentencing for rape and sexual assault on Monday that he was a "sexual predator" who had caused them lasting harm.
Brand – the former husband of US pop singer Katy Perry who in recent years moved away from the mainstream and became an anti-establishment commentator – was convicted on Thursday of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three more.
The 51-year-old sat in the dock at Southwark Crown Court, wearing a grey suit and open-necked white shirt and occasionally turning round towards his wife in the public gallery, as one of his victims read out an impact statement in person.
She accused Brand of sexually assaulting her in 2004 and then orally raping her. Brand was convicted of sexual assault but acquitted of rape.
"I wanted to express how this crime has affected me over the years," she said from behind a screen. "When it happened, I was in complete shock and turmoil for weeks."
She added that an "undeserved feeling of shame and 'what if I had done this or done that' has been carried round inside me for over 20 years".
Another woman, whom Brand sexually assaulted in 2004 or 2005, said he was a "sexual predator who has no remorse".
Brand's victims also spoke about the impact of his public profile, with a woman whom Brand anally raped in 2009 saying his fame made it "difficult to escape reminders of what had happened".
BRAND FACING LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCE
Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand last week that he faced a lengthy prison term.
London's Metropolitan Police has said that Brand is under investigation for two other alleged rapes, one involving a then-16-year-old girl, and the head of the force said he "wouldn't be surprised if many more came forward".
Brand, who starred in films such as "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", "Get Him to the Greek" and "Arthur", had denied all the charges and ever having non-consensual sex.
Prosecutors said Brand, who rose to fame as a television presenter known for his loquacious manner and flamboyant appearance, used and abused women to satisfy his own desires.
Brand acknowledged in evidence he had dedicated a lot of his life to what he described as "reckless philandering and idiocy" but said sexual consent was fundamental.
But, after a four-week trial, Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three sexual assaults committed between 2004 and 2009. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and an attempted indecent assault.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Kate Holton and Alex Richardson)
