This article contains references to sexual assault
Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison by a New York judge on Wednesday for rape and sexual assault in a landmark case for the #MeToo movement.
Justice James Burke ignored the pleas of Weinstein's defence team to give their client the minimum of five years behind bars, issuing a heavy sentence close to the maximum 29 years allowed.
Earlier Weinstein told the court he was "totally confused" about what was happening.
"I'm worried about this country," he said, adding that his "empathy" had increased in the three years since accusations against him ignited the #MeToo global reckoning against men abusing positions of power.
The sentencing capped off a sensational downfall for the once-powerful 67-year-old, who lost much of his fortune estimated at $150 million as he became a pariah in the entertainment industry.
Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd. Source: AAP
Nearly 90 women, including Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek, have come forward alleging 40 years of vile predatory behaviour by the Oscar-winning producer of "Shakespeare in Love" and numerous other critical and box office hits.
The Silence Breakers - a group of 24 Weinstein accusers that includes Ashley Judd, Lauren Sivan, Rosanna Arquette and Rose McGowan - said in a statement circulated to US entertainment media Weinstein's legacy would always be that he was a convicted rapist.
"He is going to jail - but no amount of jail time will repair the lives he ruined, the careers he destroyed, or the damage he has caused," they said.
Weinstein was brought from the notorious Rikers Island jail into the Manhattan criminal court in a wheelchair shortly before 9.30am (local time) to learn his fate.
'No longer hiding'
He was found guilty of a criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree on 24 February, in a verdict hailed by the #MeToo movement.
Seven men and five women convicted him of raping ex-actress Jessica Mann in 2013 and of forcibly performing oral sex on former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006.
Ms Mann, 34, and Ms Haleyi, 42, delivered powerful victim impact statements in court.
Ms Haleyi said being attacked by Weinstein had "diminished my confidence and faith in people."
Ms Mann said his conviction had given her the strength to rebuild her life.
"My monsters are no longer hiding in my closet," she told the court.
Weinstein appeared confident during the trial, laughing and smiling for journalists as he shuffled into and out of court every day using a walking frame following back surgery.
The producer - famous for his hard-nosed approach to work and Oscars campaigns - was cleared of the most serious charges of predatory sexual assault, as well as rape in the first degree.
Prosecutors called on Justice Burke to issue a lengthy jail term, saying Weinstein engaged in a "lifetime of abuse" and had shown "a total lack of remorse" for his actions.
In a pre-sentencing letter, the prosecution asked the judge to consider 36 other sexual abuse and harassment allegations against Weinstein dating back to the 1970s that were not part of the trial.
"He got drunk on the power," lead prosecutor Joan Illuzzi-Orbon told the court.
"He held all cards and played them at his will," she added.
Weinstein's team suggested Justice Burke should take into account the achievements of a man whose films received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes.
"His life story, his accomplishments, and struggles are simply remarkable and should not be disregarded in total because of the jury's verdict," the lawyers wrote in a pre-sentencing memo.
Life sentence
They said anything longer than five years would mean a de facto life sentence for Weinstein who turns 68 next week.
The lawyers also cited the father-of-five's children, the youngest two of whom are under ten years old.
Weinstein's counsel regularly clashed with Burke during the trial, even claiming at one point that he was biased against their client.
On the eve of the hearing, New York media published previously unsealed court documents which showed that Weinstein appealed to billionaires Jeff Bezos and Michael Bloomberg for help as allegations against him snowballed in October 2017.
The reports added that when Weinstein heard, incorrectly, that "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston had accused him of groping her, he wrote to his representative: "Jen Aniston should be killed."
Following his conviction, Weinstein spent 10 days in a hospital where he had a stent inserted after complaining of chest pains.
Weinstein is expected to be incarcerated outside New York City and will likely later be taken to Los Angeles where he faces other sex crimes charges.
LA extradition bid
The Los Angeles District Attorney's office has started the extradition process for Weinstein to face sexual assault charges filed against him in January.
Weinstein was charged in Los Angeles on 6 January with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in 2013.
The Los Angeles District Attorney's office said no arraignment date has yet been set for Weinstein.
It was not clear how long the extradition process would take.
Weinstein was charged with raping a woman at a hotel in Los Angeles in February 2013, and the next day sexually assaulting a woman at a hotel suite in Beverly Hills.
If convicted, he faces up to 28 years in prison.
Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by scores of women, has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
