Russell Brand held a large beach bash with a sober living group just a week and a half before his rape trial began in the UK, which saw him sent to prison for the next decade.
asserted
him → hold → decade
The comedian, 51, invited his friends, family, church members and people from the Path of Grace Recovery organization to a beach barbecue on September 27 in Grayton Beach, Florida, sources close to the disgraced actor told TMZ.
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sources → invite → TMZ
They said Brand has supported Path of Grace Recovery, a nonprofit that helps women who struggle with drugs and alcohol, in the past – and about 100 people showed up to the party, including his wife, Laura, and their three children.
One of the sources described the event as feeling like a going away party, telling TMZ how there was a lot of praying as Brand personally visited each person in attendance and said he was placing his faith in God.
Photos from the event showed the actor in a white cut-off T-shirt with the word 'REBORN' emblazoned across the chest and a long dangling cross, white sweatpants and sandals, as he posed with other beachgoers.
He was acting like his normal self, the sources said, adding that he gave no indication that he was worried about the upcoming trial.
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he → say → trial
Still, he is said to have admitted to one of the attendees: 'I might be going away for a long time.'
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I → say → time
Brand will now be moved to a prison for sex offenders after reportedly spending his first three days behind bars cowering in his cell at HMP Wandsworth.
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Brand → move → Wandsworth
Russell Brand, 51, (pictured in February) held a beach party with a sober living group just a week and a half before his rape trial began in the UK
His wife, Laura, was also in attendance as well as their three children
The actor showed no emotion on Monday, when he was sentenced to ten years and six months for raping a fan and sexually assaulting three other women at the height of his fame.
He mouthed 'I love you' and 'we'll be OK' to his wife Laura Gallacher as they had a brief conversation before he was led from the dock and down to the cells.
She visibly crumpled in the gallery, falling forward in her seat as the judge handed down the sentence, and later fought back tears as she left court, holding hands with a friend.
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she → picture → friend
Brand's father Ron Brand also looked shaken by the length of the sentence, which is likely to mean he will spend at least seven years behind bars.
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he → look → bars
But in sentencing the comedian, Justice Joel Bennathan ruled that Brand believed he could commit sexual offenses 'with impunity' and abused the fame, influence and power he wielded to satisfy his 'voracious' and violent appetite for gratification.
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he → sentence → gratification
The justice told Brand he had become a dangerous 'sexual predator' after finding fame, blasting his 'staggering arrogance' and 'contempt' for women in his life 'unburdened by the rules of decent people.
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he → tell → people
You had also become a sexual predator,' he said.
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he → become → ?
He added that Brand had 'a casual and arrogant disregard for a woman's right to say no to you,' adding: 'Fame meant you thought you could act how you like, when you like.'
Brand was sentenced on Monday to serve more than 10 years behind bars
Court artist's sketch shows Russell Brand in a brief conversation with his wife Laura before he was led down to the cells
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he → add → cells
Prosecutors had said Brand raped a young woman until she bled, and attacked three female strangers, in some cases within seconds of meeting them at the height of his fame, including one attack that took place shortly after he met pop star Katy Perry.
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he → say → Perry
The court also heard how Brand, who once boasted he would not relent in his pursuit of sex before getting his 'birthright orgasm,' ignored pleas from women for him to stop.
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him → hear → women
In the rape case, prosecutors said, Brand sexually assaulted a 21-year-old fan he picked out of the crowd in 2009.
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he → say → 2009
Then 33, he pushed the woman face-down into a pillow on his 'enormous' bed and removed his condom while raping her at his Hampstead mansion, leaving her struggling to breathe.
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he → push → her
She was left bleeding from her anus and afterwards said Brand ordered her to 'clean up the mess you've made' before switching on the TV to watch the science fiction series Quantum Leap.
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you → leave → series
The woman tried to clear up before being ushered out by a member of staff.
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woman → try → staff
A driver then handed her tissues as he took her home.
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he → hand → her
Fearing she had contracted HIV, she underwent tests, which came back negative.
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which → fear → tests
Brand's defense attorney, though, argued his client 'went too far and overrode the consent that had been given.'
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that → argue → consent
The barrister also insisted that his client was 'fundamentally a different person' now and questioned the vulnerability of some of the women he abused.
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he → insist → women
Prosecutors said Brand attacked one victim shortly after he met pop star Katy Perry.
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he → say → Perry
The two are pictured together in 2010
Supporters of Brand held a sign outside the courthouse on Monday, as the actor was sentenced
But on Thursday, a jury found Brand guilty of one count of rape.
He was also convicted of the sexual assault of an MTV worker at a party in a Soho bar in 2004, and was found guilty of sexually assaulting a Capital Radio worker after encountering her in a corridor in 2005.
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He → picture → 2005
Yet Brand, a born-again Christian who said he wore the 'full armor of God' in court, was cleared of two further charges of rape and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.
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he → bear → assault
In court on Monday, the actor, wearing a dark gray suit, black waistcoat and white shirt, was heard praying and clutching the crucifix around his neck as he listened to the victims' impact statements.
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he → wear → statements
The first victim to speak was the MTV worker, who said she was left 'extremely upset and traumatized' by the experience.
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she → speak → experience
'It really affected how I viewed myself, I didn't have any respect for myself and got into situations with toxic men as I didn't have any self-worth,' the victim said.
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victim → affect → worth
'I literally lost any love for myself for a long time thinking that I was damaged goods.'
Brand, a born-again Christian who said he wore the 'full armor of God' in court, was heard praying and clutching the crucifix around his neck as he listened to the victims' impact statements
Meanwhile, the Capital Radio worker said in her statement that Brand's sexual offense 'has had a lasting impact on my life even if I thought that I had successfully buried what happened.'
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what → lose → life
In a victim impact statement read to Southwark Crown Court, she said: 'This has had a lasting impact on my life even if I thought that I had successfully buried what happened.
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what → read → life
I had a strong adverse reaction, especially to his voice.'
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I → have → voice
The incident impacted her work but she 'tried for so long to be strong and carry on – business as usual.'
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she → impact → work
She added: 'However, over the years hearing his voice on television, on social media or seeing his image made me jump.'
Her statement went on to say that she was advised to seek therapy for 'serious anxiety.'
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she → add → anxiety
Russell Brand's rape victim's statement was the next to be read by prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC, with the woman saying: 'The defendant's public profile had a significant impact on me – because of who he was and the influence he held, I did not feel confident speaking openly about what had happened.
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what → read → me
I did not know who I could trust or confide in.
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I → know → who
I felt that if I reported him, I would not be believed.
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I → feel → him
'His fame, wealth and influence created a power imbalance which made me feel powerless.
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me → create → imbalance
I did not have the confidence to challenge someone who appeared so powerful, rich and influential.
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who → have → someone
His public profile meant that he remained present in my life even when I wanted to move on.
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I → mean → life
I would regularly encounter references to him in the media, which made it difficult to escape reminders of what had happened.'
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what → encounter → reminders
Justice Joel Bennathan ruled that Brand believed he could commit sexual offenses 'with impunity' and abused the fame, influence and power he wielded to satisfy his 'voracious' and violent appetite for gratification
At the sentencing, Justice Bennathan told Brand that 'imprisonment will deprive your children of the presence of their father, that sad loss to them however is caused by your serious offending.'
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loss → rule → offending
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
