Key Takeaways
- Ron Brand called his son Russell “the victim” outside a London courthouse and dismissed the jury’s verdict, saying, “I don’t care” and “We don’t believe the justice system.”
- Russell Brand received a 10-year, six-month prison sentence for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault after denying all seven charges and securing acquittals on three.
- Ron Brand suggested possible jury misconduct without presenting evidence, while police continue to investigate two additional rape allegations against Brand.
Russell Brand's father isn't accepting his son's conviction, and he made that clear during a heated confrontation with reporters outside a London courthouse. Following the comedian's sentencing on Monday, November 9, Ron Brand dismissed the jury's verdict, questioned the British justice system, and insisted that his son—not the women he was convicted of assaulting—was the real victim.
The exchange, captured by Sky News outside Southwark Crown Court, came shortly after Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
When a reporter asked Ron whether he had a message for the victims, he responded immediately. "The victim? What? Russell?" he asked.
After the reporter clarified that the question concerned the women involved in the case, Ron pushed back. "The girls, you mean who chased him?" he replied.
The reporter reminded him that a jury had convicted his son, but Ron wasn't interested in discussing the verdict on those terms.
"I don't care. I don't care. It's a system. We don't believe the justice system," he said.
Ron then suggested that social media could have influenced the jury, questioning whether prospective jurors might have been selected based on their online activity.
When challenged about whether he was accusing the jury of corruption, he stopped short of making a definitive allegation. "Well, I'm saying it's possible. Are you saying it's not possible?" he responded.
No evidence of jury misconduct was presented during the exchange.
Despite his criticism of the proceedings, Ron said he was confident his son could handle prison.
"Yeah, he's strong. He's strong," he said when asked how Russell would cope behind bars.
The confrontation followed a four-week trial in which six women accused Brand of offenses dating from 1999 to 2009.
Jurors found the 51-year-old former Forgetting Sarah Marshall actor guilty of four charges while acquitting him of two additional rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Brand had denied all seven charges, maintaining throughout the proceedings that his past sexual encounters were consensual.
His wife, Laura Gallacher, also testified as a character witness, describing Brand as an "amazing husband" and "wonderful father."
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police investigators have confirmed that two additional rape allegations against Brand remain under investigation.
Brand has been remanded in custody and must serve two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release on license, the British equivalent of parole.
If you or someone you know has been affected by rape or sexual assault, confidential support is available through the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or online at RAINN.org.
