Sharon Osbourne says disgraced comedian Russell Brand - who she has known for 20 years - must 'pay' for his crimes after he was convicted of rape and sexual assault

Sharon Osbourne has declared that disgraced comedian Russell Brand must 'pay' for his crimes after he was convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.The former X Factor judge, 74, who has known Brand for more than 20 years, spoke out about his downfall after he was found guilty of attacking four women during the height of his fame.Brand, 51, was sentenced to ten years and six months in prison on Monday after a jury convicted him of offences committed between 2004 and 2009.Speaking on The Osbournes Podcast on Thursday, Sharon said she was relieved that Brand's crimes had finally caught up with him.'Even if it's years ago and you've tidied up your life, you've got your head together. You've got everything going [for you],' she said. 'The whole thing is ugly. But his wife, his kids....'Sharon described the case as 'ugly' as she expressed concern for Brand's wife Laura Gallacher and their three children, who have been left facing the consequences of his crimes. Sharon Osbourne has declared that disgraced comedian Russell Brand must 'pay' for his crimes after he was convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others The former X Factor judge, 74, who has known Brand for more than 20 years, spoke out about his downfall after he was sentenced to ten years and six months in prisonHer son Jack, 41, added: 'And obviously there's the victims. It's horrible that they've had to and what they've had to endure and obviously lived through for decades now.'Sharon continued: 'He got his life together. But you know what? You play, you pay.'Their comments were recorded after Brand's conviction but before his sentencing at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, when a judge condemned him as a 'sexual predator' who had exploited his celebrity status to abuse women.Sharon had appeared on Brand's Channel 4 chat show in December 2006, while her family have known him since his early days in showbusiness.When allegations of rape and sexual assault first emerged in September 2023, following an investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches, Sharon spoke out about her concerns over his treatment of women.Appearing on Piers Morgan's TalkTV programme alongside her family, she said she instinctively sided with women who reported being abused.'Being a woman, when I hear these cases where women have been abused and taken advantage of, I automatically go to the woman's side, because I love women, I care about them,' she said.She also criticised Brand for making crude remarks about women in front of their famous fathers, including Sir Rod Stewart and Sir Bob Geldof.Sharon was particularly unimpressed by an incident at the GQ Men of the Year Awards in 2006, when Brand publicly boasted about having slept with Rod's daughter Kimberly Stewart.The singer confronted Brand over the remarks, demanding to know whether he had behaved himself towards Kimberly. 'Even if it's years ago and you've tidied up your life, you've got your head together. You've got everything going [for you],' she said. 'The whole thing is ugly. But his wife, his kids....' Her son Jack, 41, added: 'And obviously there's the victims. It's horrible that they've had to and what they've had to endure and obviously lived through for decades now'Sharon said she had never forgotten the incident, which she believed showed a lack of respect towards the families involved.Jack also spoke about his family's history with Brand during the 2023 interview, admitting it was difficult to contemplate the allegations against someone they knew.'We've all known Russell going on 20 years,' he said, adding that the comedian had done some 'vulgar, outrageous, crazy things' in the past.But he said that knowing someone personally did not mean they were incapable of serious wrongdoing.Brand was found guilty on November 5 following a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.He was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women, although the jury acquitted him of two further rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.Sentencing him on Monday, Mr Justice Joel Bennathan condemned his 'staggering arrogance' and told him that his growing fame had been accompanied by a belief that he could behave as he pleased.Brand's wife Laura was present in court as he was jailed, with the judge acknowledging the impact his imprisonment would have on their children.He told Brand that the loss of their father's presence was a consequence of his own serious offending.The comedian must serve two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release and will remain on the sex offenders' register for life.Police have also confirmed that Brand remains under investigation over two further allegations of rape.