Russell Brand to be sentenced today after rape and sexual assault convictions

British comedian and former Hollywood star Russell Brand will be sentenced today, Monday, after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault. The sentencing hearing begins at 10:30am local time at Southwark Crown Court in London.

A jury of eight men and four women deliberated for more than eight hours last week before returning a unanimous verdict finding Brand guilty on four of seven charges. He was found guilty of one count of rape and three incidents of sexual assault. He was acquitted of two rape counts and one attempted incident.

The offences against four women took place between 2005 and 2009, in different locations including a bar in central London, a radio station, a recording studio and his former home in Hampstead.

He was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman at a colleague's birthday party in a bar in Soho in 2004, but was found not guilty of orally raping her in a bathroom. He was also found guilty of kissing and groping another woman at a London radio station in 2004 or 2005.

He was also convicted of raping a fan at his home after meeting her backstage at one of his shows.

Brand had pleaded not guilty to all the offences, telling the court he believed he never had non-consensual sex. But the jury found he had committed the crimes.

During the four-week trial, prosecutors argued that Brand was a ruthless, calculating, manipulative 'sexual predator' who pursued women relentlessly and exploited his fame and power to get what he wanted from them sexually.

The 51-year-old father of three has been behind bars since he was convicted last Thursday. His trial judge denied him bail, ruling that he posed a flight risk.

Last week, Justice Joel Bennathan warned that Brand faces a 'significant' prison term. Today's sentencing will bring the long trial process to its final chapter.