'You deserve every minute you spend in jail for what you stole from all of us': Harvey Weinstein accusers celebrate his sentencing

'I literally cried tears of amazement, gratitude that the justice system has worked on behalf of all his victims today'

Disgraced former Hollywood mogul and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault on Wednesday.

Victims of his actions spoke out on on the day of his sentencing.

Miriam Haley, who accused Weinstein of raping her, spoke to the jury during his sentencing hearing.

“He had crushed a part of my spirit. If he was not convicted of rape and sexual assault by this jury, it would have happened again and again. I’m relieved there are women who are safer because he is not out there,” she said.

Mira Sorvino, who accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct and of blacklisting her and disrupting her career, celebrated the former producer’s sentencing.

“23 years. Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his crimes of rape and sexual assault. I literally cried tears of amazement, gratitude that the justice system has worked on behalf of all his victims today,” she wrote.

Ronan Farrow, who authored a book and an explosive New Yorker story detailing the disgraced mogul’s crimes and attempts to cover them up, noted that the sentencing was proof that the powerful can be held to account.

“A lot of news underlines how hard it is to hold wealthy and connected people accountable. Today shows the power of people who speak up, from a position of far less power, at great personal risk,” he wrote. “The Weinstein sentence reminds us of the importance of those sources and of leaders at news organisations who refused to kill the story - including editors at the New Yorker who published the first allegations of rape and assault about Weinstein.”

Rosanna Arquette, an actress who appeared in Pulp Fiction and Desperately Seeking Susan, said she was similarly assaulted and subsequently “blackballed” in the industry after turning down Weinstein’s attempt to force her to massage him.

“Gratitude to all the silence breakers especially Rose [McGowan] and all survivors of Weinstein to the brave women who testified and to the incredible investigative reporting of Ronan Farrow who uncovered the sabotage and spying and to David Remnick thank you Rich McKuen and [New York] Times,” she tweeted.

She went on to say that "prison is not justice for rape survivors, but it's something."

Sarah Ann Masse, who Weinstein assaulted while interviewing to be a nanny for his children, revelled in the news.

“Bye Bye #HarveyWeinstein. You are and always have been a vile rapist and abuser. You deserve every minute you spend in jail for what you stole from all of us,” she tweeted.

Weinstein’s sentence is ultimately less than the maximum 29 years requested by prosecutors, but is much higher than the minimum five years, which his lawyers attempted to secure.

When the women who testified against the producer walked out of the courtroom, they were met with cheers from those waiting to learn details of the sentencing.