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Entertainment of Wednesday, 11 March 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Ex-American movie maker, Harvey Weinstein bags 23 years in prison

Harvey Weinstein    | Getty Images Harvey Weinstein | Getty Images

Ex-Hollywood film producer, Harvey Weinstein, has been sentenced to 23 years in prison by a New York court for sex-related offences.

Following last month's convictions on a first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape, the 67-year-old faced between five and 29 years in jail.

CNN reported that the charges were based on testimony in a New York courtroom by Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann, who both spoke at the sentencing.

"If Harvey Weinstein had not been convicted by this jury, it would have happened again and again and again," Haley said Wednesday in court. "I'm relieved he will now know he's not above the law. I'm relieved there are women out there who are safer because he's not out there."

Haley and the five other women who testified against Weinstein at his trial -- Mann, actress Annabella Sciorra and three "prior bad acts" witnesses -- arrived at court with prosecutors and sat in the front row.

Actress Rosie Perez, who testified in support of Sciorra's claims, walked in with them and sat in the second row.

Recall that Weinstein was acquitted of two more serious charges of predatory sexual assault, which could have come with a life sentence. Still, he faces five to 25 years in prison for the criminal sexual act charge and up to four years in prison for the rape charge.

He has been in state custody since the verdict and has had several health issues. He had a heart procedure last week during which doctors inserted a stent, and on Sunday he fell while at Rikers Island jail, his publicist Juda Engelmayer told CNN.