Russell Brand found guilty of rape and 3 counts of sexual assault

English comedian and actor Russell Brand has been found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was refused bail and is spending his first night in prison Thursday night, with his sentencing scheduled for Monday.

Brand was accused of a total of seven offences, all of which he denied.

He was found guilty of raping a woman at his home in 2009, plus assaulting multiple women between 2004 and 2005. He was cleared of two further charges of rape and one attempted indecent assault.

"He would stare at women the way that a starving person would stare at a plate of food", Brand's former colleague Cole Parker told BBC, adding that Brand could go from "very charming to very angry and threatening when he didn't get what he wanted".

Two additional rape allegations against Russell Brand are currently under investigation.

"Today's verdict is first and foremost a testament to the extraordinary courage, resilience and determination of the women who came forward and reported what happened to them," said the Detective Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police, Andy Furphy.

"Brand used his influence, status and fame to exploit and sexually offend against women. As his profile grew, so too did his sense of entitlement. I hope this conviction sends a clear message that no one is above the law, no matter how famous or powerful they may be."

Furphy also thanked the detectives and other police staff, before encouraging anyone who has experienced serious sexual assault to speak with the police.

"Russell Brand is a grifter, a fraud, a rapist and a psychopath", wrote Irish feminist group ROSA. "Unsurprisingly he found a home in the MAGA movement. Let’s celebrate his downfall, pay our huge respects to the survivors that made it happen, and take a stand against all misogyny and oppression on 25 November — international day for the elimination of violence against women".

"Thank you to the women who had to sit through these gruesome trials or to the women still sitting in them, still fighting the patriarchal judicial system", wrote comedian Aoife Dunne. "I am so sorry you had to be abused and then scream from the rooftops about it".