Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been charged by London’s Metropolitan Police with rape, indecent assault, and sexual assault.
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According to Deadline, the police have announced that Brand will face charges including one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. This follows an 18-month investigation conducted by detectives.
The investigation was prompted by allegations initially reported by Channel 4 and other media outlets. The accusations involve four separate women and span several years. It is alleged that Brand raped a woman in Bournemouth in 1999, indecently assaulted another in Westminster in 2001, and both orally raped and sexually assaulted a woman in Westminster in 2004. Additionally, between 2004 and 2005, he is accused of sexually assaulting another woman in Westminster.
The police announced that a “charge and requisition” had been issued to a 50-year-old individual, whose listed residence is in Oxfordshire, southern England.
“The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers,” DS Andy Furphy said, per Deadline. “The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police. A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@met.police.uk.”
Russell Brand Faces a Growing Wave of Allegations in Recent Months
Revelations about Russell Brand on Channel 4 and The Sunday Times sparked internal investigations by the BBC, Channel 4, and Banijay, all of which had worked with him. These probes have revealed further allegations and led to apologies. The BBC recently reported staff in its LA bureau joked about an incident where Brand allegedly exposed himself, while Channel 4 uncovered two additional allegations related to his work on Celebrity Bake Off in 2018.
Brand also faced allegations in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a film extra on the New York City set of the 2011 romantic comedy Arthur.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.