A quick recap of the arguments both sides have made. Brand’s lawyers are looking for a more lenient sentence, the prosecution has called for serious category one term.
Karmy-Jones KC pushed for Brand to receive a sentence of 10-15 years for the rape conviction, arguing that his crimes warranted such a level of punishment because of how he had abused his position, and then further degraded and humiliated his victims.
She said Brand had the view that he could abuse without impunity and he must bear some responsibility for the culture around him which enabled his offending for years.
Karmy-Jones read out three victim impact statements from the women abused by Brand. All described the debilitating impacts of his violence, and how it had damaged their relationships, careers, their feelings of self-worth and confidence and their day-to-day existence.
One woman delivering her statement in person to the judge. She said she had carried around “that undeserved feeling of shame” for 20 years.
All of the victims said they still carried the trauma with them to this day, and relayed the stressful experience of going to court to bring him to justice.
Brand’s lawyer, Ian Winter KC, argued that Brand was a fundamentally changed man these days.
He said the crimes had occurred 17 years ago, and had been “isolated incidents”. He described the rape that Brand has been convicted for as a “short and momentary failure” of consent.
Winter said any major sentence given out to Brand would have a “catastrophic” impact on his young family and urged Judge Bennathan to show mercy.