Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexually assaulting three women

British actor and comedian Russell Brand faces a lengthy prison sentence after a London jury found him guilty on Thursday of raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others.

The 51-year-old was convicted of raping a 21-year-old fan in 2009 after meeting her at one of his shows in west London. The jury also found him guilty of groping an MTV employee at a central London bar in 2004, kissing and groping a woman at her workplace in 2005, and sexually assaulting another woman in 2009 after she was made to give him a massage.

However, the jury at Southwark Crown Court acquitted Brand of two other rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. The eight men and four women on the jury reached their verdicts after about eight and a half hours of deliberations.

Judge Joel Bennathan described the case as well prepared and said sentencing would take place on Monday, according to the Press Association. Brand has been remanded in custody pending sentencing.

The judge said the convictions would inevitably result in a significant prison term. Brand stood in the dock as the verdicts were read and closed his eyes when the jury found him guilty of rape.

Before entering the dock, he told his wife, Laura Gallacher, that he loved her. Gallacher, an author and illustrator, had attended the court proceedings with him.

London's Metropolitan Police said Brand had used his fame, status and influence to sexually exploit women. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said his sense of entitlement had grown alongside his public profile and that the conviction showed that no one was above the law, regardless of their fame or power.