British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison following his conviction for rape and sexual assault in the United Kingdom.

The 51-year-old was sentenced on Monday, November 9, at Southwark Crown Court in London, after a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women.

The offences were committed between 2004 and 2009, during the height of his entertainment career as a comedian, actor and television presenter.

Brand was, however, acquitted of two additional counts of rape and one charge of attempted indecent assault.

During the sentencing, the court heard victim impact statements from the four women, who described the lasting effects of the offences on their lives.

The Metropolitan Police said Brand would be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

He is expected to serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before becoming eligible for release on licence.

The conviction followed a four-week trial and an extensive police investigation into allegations of historical sexual offences.

Brand had denied the charges, maintaining that his sexual encounters were consensual.

The case has renewed public attention on sexual violence, abuse of influence and accountability in the entertainment industry.