Elon Musk rushed to Russell Brand’s defense on Monday, slamming the comedian’s impending sentencing as “unjust” before a judge at Southwark Crown Court had even handed down his punishment.
The Tesla CEO, 55, reposted a graphic on X comparing Brand’s crimes to those of fellow convicted rapist Sajid Mahmood Khan.
The post pointed out that Khan received a three-year prison sentence in January 2025 for offenses that included grooming a 13-year-old girl. It also claimed that Brand could face “potential life in jail,” despite prosecutors reportedly seeking a maximum sentence of 10 to 15 years for the comedian.
Weighing in on the comparison, Musk simply wrote on X, “Unjust.”
Elon Musk took to social media Monday to criticize the potential prison sentence facing convicted rapist Russell Brand, calling it “unjust.”
Although Brand has yet to be sentenced, legal experts believe the comedian could spend several years behind bars. The judge overseeing the case, Mr Justice Joel Bennathan, has also warned that he expects the punishment to be “significant.”
However, attorney Kally Sahota, director of Sahota & Sahota Solicitors, told Page Six last week that Brand would likely serve around “eight or nine years” in prison.
Sahota also explained that while a life sentence is legally possible under the laws of England and Wales, she does not anticipate Brand receiving such a severe punishment.
During the first half of the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC classified Brand as a “category one” offender, explaining that the seriousness of his crimes could warrant a prison term ranging from 10 to 15 years.
A judge warned Brand, pictured arriving at Southwark Crown Court with his wife, Laura Gallacher, on Oct. 12, 2026, that he would face a “significant” prison sentence.
The “Get Him to the Greek” actor was found guilty on Thursday, Nov. 5, of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women. The offenses took place between 2004 and 2009, while authorities are also investigating two additional rape allegations against him.
Following the guilty verdict, the judge warned Brand that he could expect a “significant” prison sentence.
The comedian was subsequently remanded into custody, leaving his wife, Laura Gallacher, to exit the London courtroom alone.
Gallacher, 39, returned to court Monday morning as her husband’s sentencing hearing got underway.
Remove the repeated sentencing detailClarify the court date sequence
Brand, pictured arriving at Southwark Crown Court in London for his sexual assault trial on Nov. 3, 2026, was taken into custody following his conviction.
Upon arriving at court, the actor reportedly mouthed to his wife, “Are you OK?”
Brand and Gallacher have been married since August 2017 and share three children: daughters Mabel, 10, and Peggy, 8, as well as a son born in 2023.
Ahead of Brand’s trial in October, the couple openly discussed their concerns about the possibility of him going to prison during an episode of their “Sunday Service with the Brands” podcast.
The “Get Him to the Greek” actor is also facing investigations into two additional rape allegations.
During a conversation about the possibility of prison, Gallacher reassured her husband, saying, “You will get through it. The presence of God is everywhere — in prison as well.”
Brand admitted his discomfort with the uncertainty, responding, “I don’t like things where it’s like, you might have to go to prison.”
Gallacher then reminded him, “That’s the nature of what a trial is.”
Following his conviction, Brand has been held at London’s HMP Wandsworth, a prison reportedly notorious for overcrowded conditions, vermin infestations and violence among inmates.
