Comedian Russell Brand found guilty by UK court of rape and sexual assaults

[Westminster]

Although our 'life' is very different from the US's life sentences.
Ours tend to be reserved for the absolute worst of the worst crimes imaginable. And even THEN they will basically never serve 'life' in prison. Usually 15 or so years. Whereas in the US them guys will literally spend their whole lives in prison. Like a 300 year sentence lol

US will even give actual life sentences for drugs.

I'm not sure whether they're gonna make an example of Brand or not and give him a harsh sentence or not. UK is wildly inconsistent with sentencing. You can literally punch a man to death in a random attack and SERVE like 3 years in some instances.

Rape crimes can also get very low sentences, but it's hard to guess. I'm gonna guess Brand gets like a 7 year sentence! (although here in the UK we ALSO only tend to SERVE a fraction of the sentence, so IF I was right, he'd be back on the streets in maybe 4 years)

Although, there's also cases similar to Brands (where the 'rape' wasn't like a guy jumping out in an alleyway with a knife and raping a teenager) where the sentence was like 3 years. I've only read bits about the specifics but it sounds like it was against girls who had previously consented to sex in some cases. And others was more 'assault' (that they call rape) where maybe he grabbed some girls tits etc. I'm not defending him, but from what I HAVE read, it sounds more like an agressive/pushy guy as opposed to what many think of as 'rape'. It's the whole 'failure to say 'no' doesn't mean 'yes' argument I guess. But I honestly feel like by using this standard then most men over teh age of 30 will likely have to be handing themselves in! Even infield from RSD and stuff would probably be considered rape! I remember a video from an RSD instructor (not one of the main/known instructors) who was making out with a girl at the bar and then suddenly started fingering her and she batted his hand away. THAT is more or less what it sounds like to me. If she decided to make an allegation now, then i guess he'd be going to the big house, too

I imagine Brand genuinely thinks he's innocent and extremely hard done by. Like, this isn't a case of the guy jumping out of the bushes or Bill Cosbying some girl etc.

Will be interesting to see what he gets.

I think you capture the situation well. Life for rape would need to be very aggrevated, involving extreme violence, repeated, extended attacks, holding hostage, and various sick, depraved stuff.

That's why I said Brand is going to get 5 to 10. He may get towards the top end of that tho if as you say the judge decides to make an example of him. Imagine the media outcry if he gets 2 or 3 years!

Ps. I think there are 30-odd prisoners serving whole life tariffs in England & Wales. I think you've got to be a serial mass murderer, way off the scale to get that - Although there are plenty of people locked up in secure mental hospitals that will never be released (in Rampton, Ashworth etc.)

 

[Westminster]

He's probably going to get the upper end of sentencing because he's gone against the establishment. Mainly that was on Covid, lockdowns and vaccination...but you've only got to look at how they treat other whites in this country, Lucy Connolly, Tommy Robinson etc. If you're a lefty like Huw Edwards, or an ethnic you get a free pass.

I suspect you are right. Theres a circus building and Brand will hung out to dry.

The chattering classes will love this - middle aged white bloke does wrong. It's going to be blown up into all sorts of sensational nonsense.

Still I suppose it helps distract attention away from all the heinous crimes that go unpunished when it doesn't fit the narrative.

 

[characternote]

Yeah, i'd only be speculating and obviously wasn't in the room, but I get the impression he's being hard done by.

Even though I've not been a fan of his for some time (ever since he basically started getting into film, and then going all religious and political etc and seemed to change a lot) I actually WAS a fan of his way way back in teh day. I used to listen to his radio2 shows on bbc radio with matt morgan religiously. I think he was hilarious back then tbh.

But what was clear even back then is that he was absolutely a sex pest and taking FULL advantage of his fame. He would talk quite openly (or slightly 'coded' through jokes with his co hosts) about banging the competition winners each week in the disabled bathrooms. And these competition winners were basicalyl always school girls and college girls. Typically 16-19. Now, 16 is perfectly legal here. We don't have Romeo Juliette laws so the fact that brand was like 33 at the time is irrelevant (although surprisingly many commenters who don't know the laws of their own county seem to think that 'that' was also illegal)

Interestingly, one of his co hosts (trevor locke) got arrested for apparently raping a girl at one of these parties at Brands house. Brand even admitted she was very drunk but still defended Locke, so maybe that gives you an idea. Brand said she was still sober enough to be seen to be turning men away who tried their luck with her as his reasoning.
And more recently, another of Brands radio host friends (Tim Westwood) is being investigated for many rapes himself.

I think Brand was just banging an unbelievable amount of very young girls, and was also quite pushy and aggressive with it, and he just flew too close to the sun! I just think the line is a bit blurry and feel like if we had CCTV of all of his crimes, AND we were living in 2010 and not now, he wouldn't spend a day in prison