Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 23 years in prison

Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 23 years in prison. on Wednesday in a New York courtroom .

The  67-year-old disgraced film producer was found guilty, a dramatic fall from grace  for one of the Hollywood’s most powerful figures.

His lawyers appealed for leniency saying even the minimum sentence of five years  could be a life sentence. But prosecutors argued Weinstein should be given the maximum prison sentence given his “lifetime abuse” towards women and “lack of remorse”  for his actions.

Weinstein addressed the court for the first time on Wednesday saying he had “deep remorse” but described him and other men as totally confused  by events in comments seen as critical to the  ♯MeToo movement.

Dozens of women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, including rape against Weinstein since October 20178.

He has consistently denied wrong doing  and his lawyers have vowed to appeal against his conviction.

Weinstein was found guilty of committing a first-degree criminal sexual act against production assistant  Miriam Haley in 2006 and of the third-degree rape of aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.

New York Jurors acquitted him of the most serious charges, of predatory sexual assault, which could have seen him given an even longer jail term.

All six women who testified against him during his trial sat together on Wednesday as he was sentenced and told to register as a sex offender.

Mariam Haley who is also known as Mimi Haley said of the assault where Weinstein forced oral sex o her  read out victim impact statements in court “ It scarred me deeply, mentally and emotionally. What he did not only stripped me of my dignity as a human being and a woman, but it crushed my confidence.”

Ms Mann criticized Weinstein’s lawyers for trying to “twist the truth” during the trial  and said she hoped for a future where “ we no longer have to  worry about monsters hiding inour closet”