US actor Danny Masterson has received a prison sentence of 30 years to life for the rape of two women. Masterson was known for his role on the TV series "That '70s Show," and the crimes occurred during the early 2000s.

Prosecutors argued that Masterson, who is 47 years old, used his status as a prominent Scientologist to evade accountability for his actions.

During the sentencing, Judge Charlaine Olmedo allowed the victims of Masterson's crimes to share impact statements in court. Prominent former Scientologist and actress Leah Remini was in attendance at the hearing and offered support to the women before and after they delivered their statements."I wished I had reported him earlier to the police," one of the women said, according to US media.

Another woman told Masterson: "I forgive you. Your sickness is no longer mine to bear," according to Reuters.

Throughout the hearing, Masterson maintained silence. When the judge delivered his sentence, which was the maximum penalty allowed, Masterson's wife, Bijou Phillips, was visibly distraught in court, shedding tears.

Masterson's conviction came in May after a re-trial, as the first jury in 2022 was unable to reach a verdict. Following his conviction, he was considered a flight risk and taken into custody.

The actor was found guilty based on the testimony of three women who stated that he sexually assaulted them at his Hollywood residence between 2001 and 2003, during the peak of his television career. The jury heard that he had administered drugs to them before the assaults. Masterson was convicted of rape in the cases involving two of the accusers. The charges related to the third accuser resulted in a mistrial, and prosecutors have indicated they do not intend to pursue a retrial for that particular case.

Alison Anderson, a lawyer representing two of the victims, said in a statement sent to BBC News that the women "have displayed tremendous strength and bravery, by coming forward to law enforcement and participating directly in two gruelling criminal trials".

"Despite persistent harassment, obstruction and intimidation, these courageous women helped hold a ruthless sexual predator accountable today," she said.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors argued that the Church of Scientology had helped cover up the assaults - an allegation the organisation has categorically denied.

At the time of the assaults, Danny Masterson and all three of his accusers were affiliated with Scientology. Some of the victims revealed that it took them years to come forward because officials within the Church of Scientology discouraged them from reporting the rapes to the police.

Prosecutors alleged that Scientology officials pressured one survivor to sign a non-disclosure agreement and accept a payment of $400,000 (£320,000) under the threat of losing her membership in the community.

During the trial, Judge Olmedo allowed both the prosecution and defense to discuss the beliefs and practices of Scientology, which sparked dissatisfaction within the organization.

Following the verdict in May, the Church of Scientology released a statement denying any involvement in harassment of the accusers, asserting that there was "not a scintilla of evidence supporting the scandalous allegations."