The Metropolitan Police Commissioner has said he would not be surprised if “many more” alleged victims of Russell Brand came forward, as detectives investigate two further rape allegations against him.
Sir Mark Rowley, speaking to Times Radio on Friday, November 6, said: “There’s two more cases we’re investigating at the moment. I clearly wouldn’t be surprised if many more came forward.”
He added: “As you’ve heard, there’s two more rape allegations that we’re looking at. We’re encouraging anybody else to come forward if there’s any other allegations.”
Brand, 51, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, after a trial lasting nearly four weeks. He was found not guilty of one further count of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on Monday, November 9. The judge told him he should expect a “significant custodial term”.
Rowley said: “Every case like this depends on brave victim survivors who are prepared to step forward and tell their story to police officers and tell their story to a court when you’ve had something so intrusive and awful happen that that really shows real bravery and determination, and you have to admire that. I’m proud of our officers and the support they’ve offered them and the case they’ve built. They’ve spoken to 100 witnesses. They’ve taken 400 statements. It’s a sizeable investigation.”
He added: “The wider point I would make: this looks at one hand it’s a celebrity, but most sex offending is where someone of power exploits that with someone who is less powerful themselves. It might be an uncle, it might be a teacher, it might be a vicar. Could be a whole range of different situations. And what cases like this show is, it doesn’t matter how powerful the person is, we will support you, and we will try and bring down the person who did something ghastly to you.”
The two further allegations under investigation involve two more women, one of whom was 16 at the time of the alleged offence. No charges have been brought in relation to those allegations, and they remain under investigation.
Anyone who has been affected can contact the Metropolitan Police on 101, or the Rape Crisis national helpline on 0808 500 2222.
Read our report on Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault, and our report on the two further rape allegations under investigation.
