Warning: Details of rape and sexual assault Russell Brand is being investigated over rape allegations made by two more women, it can now be reported. The disgraced comedian has been found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a jury of eight men and four women at Southwark Crown Court, following a three-week trial. More victims are likely to come forward following his conviction, the detective who led the police investigation has said.
Det Supt Andy Furphy, from the Metropolitan Police, said he hoped other women would gain "courage" and "confidence" from the guilty verdicts. Brand was found not guilty of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. Brand had initially been coy and quiet in police interviews, said Furphy, but became bolder as officers continued to question him.
"As he gets used to something, he becomes more emboldened by it," Furphy said. "You can certainly see that in his offending." Hundreds of people were interviewed as part of the investigation and officers said several witnesses came forward, some of whom had previously had a sexual relationship with Brand. Katy Perry, the US singer who was married to Brand from 2010 to 2012, was not interviewed.
Brand, 51, who was described in court as "ruthless" and a "sexual predator", was once one of the UK's most high-profile and in-demand entertainers. Some of the women said they had been left "haunted for years" by what he did to them. Speaking to the BBC, officers working on the three-year Metropolitan Police investigation described how bringing Brand to justice was not without its challenges.
Allegations about Brand's behaviour first emerged in the media in September 2023. The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme jointly reported that four women had accused him of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse - claims he strongly denied. The investigation into other reports against Brand began soon after the story broke.
"We kind of assumed that people might want to come forward," Furphy said, "and people came forward." Victim reports were made to forces across the country and the Met set up a dedicated team of officers to lead the investigation, which it called Operation Actinolite. Officers said they have since taken more than 340 witness statements - including from Brand's former employers, his ex-colleagues and associates. One officer was assigned to read Brand's books, watch his stand-up routines and DVDs and listen to his podcasts to help build the case.
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