Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 23 years in prison, two weeks after he was convicted of rape and sexual assault.
The sentence was handed down in Manhattan criminal court by Justice James Burke, who presided over Weinstein's trial.
A jury on 24 February found Weinstein, 67, guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann.
"I feel remorse for all of the men who are going through this fight," Weinstein told the court before he was sentenced.
Weinstein said he was worried about "thousands of men" being denied due process in the #MeToo era. In a rambling statement, he said he was "confused" and that he believed he had a "serious friendship" with Ms Mann and Ms Haleyi.
Once one of Hollywood's most influential producers, Weinstein had faced the possibility of a maximum sentence of 29 years in prison.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance told reporters afterward that the judge "sent a message today that this type of behaviour is something that any potential offender is going to have to consider. The judge took it seriously, which is exactly how we think he should have. And we're grateful."
Weinstein and the six women who testified against Weinstein were in court for the proceedings.
In an emotional statement in court, Ms Haleyi spoke of the trauma she had endured since the attack, saying, "It scared me deeply, mentally and emotionally, perhaps irreparably, perhaps forever." She said Weinstein has seemed "completely disconnected from the gravity of the crime he has committed against me."
Ms Mann also addressed the court.
"I want to remind you I told Harvey, 'no,'" she told the court.
"I am forced to carry that experience until I die," Ms Mann added.
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During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Joan Illuzzi asked Mr Justice Burke to impose 25 years or "near" 25 years in prison for his conviction on a charge of criminal sexual act in the first degree involving Ms Haleyi and to impose a consecutive sentence for the third-degree rape conviction involving Ms Mann. That charge called for up to four years in prison, but the prosecution made no specific request.
Prosecutors in court filings last week said the sentence should reflect not only the crimes of which he was convicted, but a "lifetime of abuse towards others."
More than 100 women, including famous actresses, have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct stretching back decades, fueling the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment.
Weinstein has denied the allegations and said that any sex was consensual.
The jury of seven men and five women acquitted Weinstein on the most serious charges, a single count of first-degree rape as well as two counts of predatory sexual assault, which carried a potential life sentence. Those charges relied on testimony by actress Annabella Sciorra, who said Weinstein raped her in the early 1990s.
Yesterday, Weinstein's lawyers urged Mr Justice Burke to impose the minimum possible sentence of five years, asking him to consider Weinstein's charitable activities while saying a longer sentence would likely mean Weinstein would die in prison.
"His life story, his accomplishments, and struggles are simply remarkable and should not be disregarded in total because of the jury's verdict," they said.
Weinstein has been awaiting sentencing in New York's Rikers Island jail, where he was moved last Thursday after a ten-day hospital stay at Bellevue Hospital where he underwent a procedure to clear a heart blockage.
He was a powerful figure in Hollywood and a contributor to Democratic candidates. He won an Academy Award for producing "Shakespeare in Love" and was responsible for other acclaimed films including "Pulp Fiction," "The English Patient" and "Gangs of New York."
