London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Apr 03, 2026

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years in jail over rape, sexual assault charges

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years in jail over rape, sexual assault charges

Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault.

Last December, the disgraced movie producer was found guilty of rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration of a foreign object in relation to an unnamed woman.

The 70-year-old is currently serving a 23-year jail term in New York for other sexual assault and rape charges, after a 2020 conviction.

In a hearing today, a judge in LA handed him 16 years behind bars.

According to PA, Weinstein appeared in court in person for the hearing, pleading with the judge for ‘mercy’.

‘Your Honour … I maintain that I am innocent,’ he said, via the publication. ‘I never raped or sexually assaulted Jane Doe One. I don’t know that woman and she doesn’t know me.

The trial in Los Angeles lasted around a month

‘This is a made-up story. With all due respect, Jane Doe One is an actress … Jane Doe One can turn on the tears.

‘Please don’t sentence me to life in prison, I don’t deserve it. I beg your mercy.’

PA reports that Jane Doe One shared a victim impact statement, in which she said that she was ‘broken into a million pieces’ over the assault.

‘I have been carrying this weight for 12 months,’ she reportedly began. ‘Before that night I was a very happy and confident woman. I valued myself and the relationship I had with God. I was excited about my future.

Weinstein reportedly pleaded for mercy before the sentencing


‘Everything changed after the defendant brutally assaulted me.

‘I became invisible to myself and to the world … I lost my identity.

‘It has broken me into a million pieces … there is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage.’

Four women brought the current case against the 70-year-old, with five sexual assault charges – including two counts of forcible rape.

The accusers were aspiring models at the time, and claimed the encounters occurred between 2004 and 2013 in LA County.

He was previously sentenced to spend 23 years behind bars in New York


They gave emotional testimonies in court, with Jane Doe One telling the jury that Weinstein allegedly showed up uninvited at her hotel room during a film festival in 2013, and assaulted her.

Although she hadn’t previously joined the dozens of women who had sued him for sexual harassment or assault, her testimony led to his second rape conviction.

The movie mogul was acquitted of one count of sexual battery, but the jury remained hung on one count of rape, one count of sexual battery by restraint and one count of forcible oral copulation.

Prosecutors originally called for the judge to hand him the maximum 24-year sentence, to run consecutively to his current term.

In closing arguments, Deputy District Attorney Marlene Martinez said the ‘titan’ used his power to take advantage of women.

‘Rapists rape,’ fellow prosecutor Paul Thompson added. ‘You can look at the pattern.’

He pleaded not guilty to all seven charges, and has denied all allegations against him.

Weinstein’s conviction comes more than five years after reports first emerged of his behavior – which sparked the #MeToo movement.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit Set to Draw Heightened Global Attention
UK Considers Entry Fees for Overseas Visitors at Major Museums Ahead of 2026 Travel Season
UK Prime Minister and Kuwait Crown Prince Coordinate Security Response After Regional Escalation
Calls Grow to Expand Fully Paid Maternity Leave for UK Teachers Amid Workforce Pressures
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access to US Market in Landmark Pharmaceuticals Agreement
Trump Projects Strength in Critique of UK Leadership and Naval Readiness
UK FinTech Setback as VibePay and Smartlayer Cease Operations Amid Funding Pressures
UK Leads Global Coalition of Over Forty Nations to Address Strait of Hormuz Crisis
UK Firms Urged to Accelerate Preparation as New Sustainability Reporting Rules Take Shape
UK Moves Rapid Sentry Air Defence System to Kuwait After Drone Strike Escalation
Transatlantic Relations Tested as UK Seeks Balance While Trump Reshapes Strategic Approach
Trump’s Strategic Pressure on UK Seen as Push for Stronger Alignment and Fairer Terms
UK Focuses on Trade Finance to Secure Critical Materials for Defence and Energy Sectors
Majority of UK Businesses Hit by Middle East Conflict While Confidence Holds Firm
UK Royal Navy Faces Renewed Scrutiny as Debate Intensifies Over Capability and Readiness
Reform UK Faces Mounting Distractions as Policy Agenda Struggles to Gain Traction
Investigation Launched Into Northern Cyprus IVF Clinics After UK Families Receive Incorrect Sperm
International Meeting Issues Unified Call to Safeguard Navigation Through Strait of Hormuz
Potential Strait of Hormuz Closure Raises Concerns Over UK Food and Medicine Supply Chains
UK Leads Coalition of Over Forty Nations Urging Iran to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access for Medicines in Landmark US Pharma Trade Agreement
King Charles III Invited to Address Joint Session of U.S. Congress in Rare Diplomatic Honor
Debate Grows Over Whether Expanded North Sea Drilling Can Reduce UK Energy Bills
UK Faces Heightened Risk of Jet Fuel Shortages, Airline Chief Warns
UK Ends Police Investigations into Lawful Social Media Posts After Review Finds Overreach
Abramovich Moves to Establish Charity for Frozen Chelsea Sale Proceeds Amid UK Dispute
Starmer Reaffirms NATO Commitment While Responding to Trump’s Strategic Critique
UK Aid Reductions Raise Fears of Severe Human Impact Across Parts of Africa
UK Signals Renewed Push for EU Cooperation as Iran Conflict Reshapes Security Landscape
Bank of England Signals Caution as Bailey Advises Markets Against Expecting Rate Hikes
UK to Convene Global Coalition to Restore Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz
Trump Signals Possible NATO Reassessment, Emphasizes Stronger U.S. Strategic Autonomy
Australia Joins British-Led Efforts to Reopen Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Tensions
King Charles Plans US State Visit as UK Strengthens Ties with Trump Leadership
UK Regulator Launches Investigation Into Microsoft’s Business Software Practices
Kanye West Set for High-Profile Return to UK Stage at Wireless Festival
Trump Presses Europe to Strengthen Commitment as Iran Conflict Escalates
UK to Deploy Additional Troops to Middle East Amid Rising Regional Tensions
UK Authorities Face Claims of Heavy-Handed Measures in Monitoring Released Pro-Palestine Activists
Trump Calls on UK to Secure Its Own Energy as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Nigel Farage Declines Invitation to UK Conservative Conference Led by Liz Truss
Trump Warns Allies to Take Responsibility as Rift Deepens with UK and France Over Iran Conflict
How Britain’s Prime Minister Controls U.S. Bomber Access in Escalating Iran Conflict
Trump Urges Allies to Secure Their Own Oil Supplies as Hormuz Crisis Disrupts Global Energy
Russia Expels British Diplomat as UK Pushes Back Against Pressure
White House App Faces Scrutiny After Claims of Continuous User Location Tracking
BBC Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Paid Content Linked to Saudi Arabia
UK-France Coastal Patrol Agreement Nears Breakdown Amid Migration Pressures
UK Police Detain Pro-Palestine Activist Again Weeks After Bail Release
FTSE 100 Advances as Energy and Mining Shares Gain Amid Middle East Tensions
×