Cops are urging any alleged victims to come forward after Russell Brand was accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by four women.
The Metropolitan Police made the appeal after the 48-year-old comic was branded a sex predator in a major investigation into his treatment of women.
Brand, who is expecting his third child with wife Laura Gallacher, 36, has strongly denied all allegations against him, says all his encounters had been consensual and claims he is at the centre of a “coordinated media attack”.
READ MORE: Russell Brand’s marriage to Kirsty Gallacher’s sister Laura with baby on the way
Meanwhile the BBC has confirmed they are looking into allegations of misconduct by Brand during his time working for the corporation as a matter of urgency.
In a statement, the BBC said: “The documentary and associated reports contained serious allegations, spanning a number of years. Russell Brand worked on BBC radio programmes between 2006 and 2008 and we are urgently looking into the issues raised.”
Confirming the force knew about the accusations against Brand, a spokesman for the Met said on Saturday night: “We are aware of media reporting of a series of allegations of sexual assault.
(Image: PA)
“At this time, we have not received any reports in relation to this.
“If anyone believes they have been the victim of a sexual assault, no matter how long ago it happened, we would encourage them to contact police.”
The allegations against Brand were aired in a special Channel 4 ‘Dispatches’ documentary on Saturday night.
Hours earlier, the comic issued a denial of the claims in a video on X and YouTube lasting nearly three minutes.
His alleged victims’ claims range from rape to sexual assault as well as emotional and physical abuse.
(Image: PA)
The first woman, using the pseudonym Nadia, says the comic raped her against a wall at his LA mansion in 2012.
She says he apologised when she texted him to tell him: “When a girl (says) no it means no”, after she had been treated at a rape crisis centre.
Nadia didn’t press criminal charges against Russell the Los Angeles Police Department had been alerted to her alleged assault after she reportedly attended a Rape Treatment Centre in Santa Monica.
A second victim, using the name Alice, said she had an abusive relationship with Brand when he was 31 and she was 16.
(Image: PA)
She said he performed a sex act on her that made her choke and she had to punch him in the stomach to make him get off her.
Another of Brand’s alleged victims was named as ‘Phoebe’ in the investigation.
She said she met the actor at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting before they worked together on a project and had a “brief” sexual relationship.
Phoebe added their fling was over by the time he allegedly attacked her in 2013 at his house in West Hollywood.
The fourth accuser claimed she was sexually assaulted by Brand, who she alleges was physically and emotionally abusive towards her.
(Image: PA)
Brand went ahead with a stand-up show just before Saturday night’s Channel 4 show aired – and told the crowd in Wembley “there are things I absolutely cannot talk about”.
But he opened up about his reaction to the allegations in a 2 minute, 45 second video posted online.
He said the claims were part of a “serious, concerted agenda” to control “spaces” such as his YouTube channel.
Brand added he had witnesses who could “directly” contradict the “narrative” he was part of – which he said left him feeling “attacked”.
He also promised to “look into this matter” as he considered it “very serious” – before urging his fans to “stay free”.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
