Russell Brand has ‘target’ on back as he heads to prison – ‘risk is high’

Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison after being found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others between 2004 and 2009. A former prison governor has warned that Brand’s celebrity status may put him at risk from other prisoners, while the shock of imprisonment could also increase the risk of self-harm.

Ian Acheson said high-profile sex offenders can face danger from inmates seeking notoriety and argued Brand should be protected by the state, not subjected to vigilante justice. Brand, who denied the charges, was acquitted of two other rape charges and attempted indecent assault; he is expected to serve two-thirds of his sentence before release on licence. Prison authorities could place him in a vulnerable prisoner unit or take other protective measures, and police are investigating two further alleged rapes.