'This Is Insane': Megyn Kelly Calls Russell Brand's 10½-Year Sentence a 'Political Witch Hunt'

Megyn Kelly has condemned Russell Brand's sentence of 10 years and six months for rape and sexual assault, describing the punishment as 'insane' and portraying his prosecution as a 'political witch hunt.'

Speaking on the 9 November edition of The Megyn Kelly Show, the American broadcaster challenged the sentence imposed at Southwark Crown Court in London earlier that day. Her remarks followed Brand's conviction for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women.

Brand, 51, had denied the charges. The jury acquitted him of two other rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault. Kelly's description of the proceedings as politically motivated was her interpretation, rather than a finding made by the court.

Kelly Challenges the Sentence

Kelly reacted with disbelief to the length of Brand's prison term, offering her own characterisation of the conduct considered during the trial.

'This is insane,' she said, before describing the punishment as an 'outrage' and an 'obvious double standard.' She also used the phrase 'political witch hunt' while criticising the judge's approach.

Her intervention continued a defence of Brand that preceded sentencing. Following the guilty verdict, Kelly had already expressed disbelief in the charges and referred favourably to her previous encounters with him. Her latest comments shifted the focus to the punishment itself.

However, the sentence concerned four criminal convictions reached after a trial. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that the offences were committed between 2004 and 2009, during a period when Brand's entertainment career and public profile were expanding.

How the Court Reached 10½ Years

Mr Justice Bennathan imposed nine years' imprisonment for rape. The three sexual assault sentences run concurrently with one another, with the longest lasting 18 months. That period runs consecutively to the rape sentence, producing the total of 10 years and six months.

In his sentencing remarks, the judge explained that he had considered the relevant guidelines and the principle of totality, which requires an overall punishment to be proportionate when someone is sentenced for several offences.

He said making every sentence concurrent, or substantially reducing them, would fail to reflect the seriousness of offending against several women over five years. Brand is due to serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before release on licence, with the possibility of recall if he breaches its conditions.

Prosecutors Emphasise Consent and Victims' Evidence

Following sentencing, senior crown prosecutor David Roberts thanked the women for giving evidence about deeply personal experiences and describing the consequences through their victim statements.

The CPS said the women had not known one another and had carried the effects of the offences for almost two decades. Roberts described the prosecution as focused on Brand's actions and the evidence, emphasising that fame and the passage of time did not alter the issue of consent.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Brand will remain on the sex offenders' register for life. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said the sentence marked his being held accountable, while acknowledging the difficult process the women had endured.

Victim statements read during the hearing described lasting harm and the importance of support during the investigation. The women retain lifelong anonymity, a protection that continues after the convictions and sentence.