# Judge praised for dismantling rape myths at Brand sentencing

> Mr Justice Bennathan's remarks on consent and enablers win acclaim from legal bodies and campaigners after Russell Brand's conviction.
- Title: Judge praised for dismantling rape myths at Brand sentencing
- Summary: Mr Justice Bennathan's remarks on consent and enablers win acclaim from legal bodies and campaigners after Russell Brand's conviction.
- Keywords: russell brand, mr justice bennathan, rape conviction, sentencing, rape myths, criminal bar association, rape crisis england & wales, end violence against women coalition, the Guardian
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/news/2026/nov/10/judge-sentenced-russell-brand-praised-rape-myths-justice-bennathan
- Published: 2026-11-10T18:11:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: russell brand, mr justice bennathan, rape conviction, sentencing, rape myths, criminal bar association, rape crisis england & wales, end violence against women coalition, news, world
## Brand sentenced to ten and a half years
Mr Justice Bennathan sentenced Russell Brand on Monday to ten and a half years in prison for raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others.
## Judge's remarks on consent praised
Bennathan told the court: Whatever women wear, wherever they go, indeed whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no and to demand justice from the criminal courts when sexual predators like you, Russell…

> Whatever women wear, wherever they go, indeed whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no
## Criminal Bar Association welcomes clarity
Andrew Thomas KC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, and Kama Melly KC, its vice-chair, praised the piercing clarity of the judge's statement and said myths about rape must play no part in courtrooms.

> We welcome the piercing clarity of the judge's statement.
## Rape Crisis welcomes recognition of victims
Ciara Bergman, chief executive of Rape Crisis England & Wales, said Bennathan's remarks were hugely important and recognised the profound courage of the women who came forward and what they endured during trial.

> We're pleased he emphasised and upheld women's rights and freedoms
## Judge condemns Brand's enablers
Bennathan said Brand's companions at a radio station and TV studio witnessed sexual assaults but treated them as outrageous laddish behaviour. He told Brand: your entourage indulged your dreadful behaviour.

> your entourage indulged your dreadful behaviour
## Campaigners say enablers share responsibility
Deniz Uğur, deputy director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said the judge's comments were welcome given rape myths' significant role in the trial and their effect on survivors exposed to victim-blaming online.
## Bergman: enablers contributed to culture of harm
Ciara Bergman said the case is about everyone who laughed along, did not speak up or looked away when assaults happened.

> They may not have committed Brand's crimes, but they contributed to the culture
## Labour deputy leader backs judge's remarks
Lucy Powell, Labour's deputy leader, praised Bennathan's incredibly powerful sentencing remarks on Tuesday, contrasting them with the depressing nature of the cross-examination of Brand's victims by his barrister, Ian Winter KC.
## Key takeaway

The judge who sentenced Russell Brand to ten and a half years for rape and sexual assault was praised for using his remarks to dispel rape myths and call out enablers who witnessed his crimes.