Laura Gallacher is standing by her husband Russell Brand, despite his being sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for rape and three sexual assaults. Brand’s barrister, Ian Winter KC, told the court that his wife was experiencing “complete devastation”, but continued to support him.
Gallacher, who is the mother of Brand’s three children, was present at Southwark Crown Court in London when the sentence was handed down. She reacted emotionally during the hearing and later said “I love you” as Brand was taken into custody.
“Words are wholly inadequate to convey the complete devastation she is experiencing,” Winter said. According to him, the family is trying to explain to a child who has just turned 10 what has happened and what the consequences are for the innocent people affected by Brand’s behaviour.
Brand Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison
Brand, 51, was found guilty on 5 November following a four-week trial. The jury convicted him of one count of rape and three sexual assaults against four women, committed between 2004 and 2009. He was acquitted of other charges related to sexual offences.
When handing down the sentence, Judge Joel Bennathan said that Brand had used his fame to take advantage of women. The judge said the defendant had shown “arrogant disregard” for every woman’s right to say “no”.
“Around 20 years ago, Russell Brand, you were becoming famous, you were clever and, to many people, funny and charismatic. You also became a sexual predator,” Bennathan said.
Court Rejects Myths About Sexual Violence
The judge stressed that a woman’s clothing, where she is, or how much alcohol she has consumed do not override her right to refuse sexual contact and seek justice.
Police and prosecutors described the sentence as the result of the courage of the four women who reported Brand. According to the Crown Prosecution Service, he used his status as a celebrity to commit sexual offences.
Brand will serve his sentence in prison after the court refused to grant him bail before sentencing. Following the decision, he was taken away in a white prison van, while his wife left the courthouse with someone close to her.