Convicted sex criminal and former sitcom star Bill Cosby has been sentenced to three to ten years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004.
Cosby, 81, was led away in handcuffs from the Pennsylvania courtroom, after being branded a “sexually violent predator” by Judge Steven O’Neill.
This was the scene earlier as Bill Cosby left court in handcuffs. He was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand. https://t.co/Llags0Lnqp pic.twitter.com/rOp2ANVpXo
— CNN News Central (@NewsCentralCNN) September 25, 2018
Discussing the high-profile verdict, O’Neill said “No-one is above the law, and no one should be treated differently or disproportionally.”
Cosby’s legal team has filed to appeal the sentence.
Booking mug shot of Bill Cosby just released after he was processed at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. He was sentenced today to 3-10 years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand. @WJACTV pic.twitter.com/9n4evTMQ1X
— Crispin Havener (@CrispinHavener) September 25, 2018
The sentence comes 13 years after Constand first brought her allegation of sexual assault by Cosby to police, which was subsequently dismissed by prosecutors.
A civil suit and a settlement followed. So too did scores of other allegations of sexual assault against the man many Americans saw as a harmless and beloved fixture in the entertainment industry.
Even after Cosby was arrested in 2015 in relation to Constand’s allegation – one of three claims, out of many, which fell within the statute of limitations – the first trial resulted in a hung jury.
But in April, Cosby was finally convicted on three counts of aggravated indecent assault, and is now set to spend years behind bars in state prison.
In a victim impact statement heard in court during the trial but released by prosecutors today, Constand said “Instead of looking back, I am looking forward to looking forward.
“I want to get to the place where the person I was meant to be gets a second chance. I know that I still have room to grow.”
This article discusses sexual assault & harassment. If you would like to talk to a counsellor about rape, sexual assault or domestic violence, give the people over at 1800 RESPECT a call on 1800 737 732.
