Quick summary
- Six more women have made allegations of sexual misconduct against Russell Brand in a report by The Times, published on Thursday.
- London’s Metropolitan Police say several people have contacted them since his trial and sentencing, according to the BBC as cited by The Sydney Morning Herald.
- Brand was jailed for 10 years and six months for one rape and three sexual assaults. He denied all the allegations at trial and his representatives did not respond to the new claims.
- Netflix has announced a documentary on Brand, and a prison move is reportedly being assessed.
Six more women have accused Russell Brand of sexual misconduct, and police in London say they are receiving fresh reports, days after the comedian was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison. The new accounts were published by The Times on Thursday. The allegations have not been tested in court, and Brand’s representatives did not respond when approached, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
What the six women told The Times
According to the Herald’s summary of the Times investigation, the accounts range from claims of sex without consent to a woman who says Brand continued after she asked him to stop because she was in pain. One woman alleges he apologised afterwards. Another says he later told her that the night had been consensual.
Page Six reports that the incidents are said to date from between 2005 and 2013, and that the women were given first names only in the Times report. One alleges an encounter at a hotel after a San Francisco show in 2013. Another describes an incident at a London venue where she worked.
Each of these remains an allegation. Page Six says it asked Brand’s legal team for comment and had not received a reply.
Police response
The Metropolitan Police told the BBC that several people had been in touch since the verdict “to provide information or report a potential criminal allegation”. That is separate from two other rape allegations already under investigation during the trial, one involving a girl who was 16 at the time, according to the Herald.
Variety also reports that the Met confirmed the investigation into further rape allegations from two other women after the trial ended. No new charges have been announced.
The conviction and sentence
A jury of eight men and four women found Brand guilty of attacking four of the six complainants. He was cleared of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. Justice Joel Bennathan told him, “You had also become a sexual predator”, and said he showed “casual and arrogant disregard” for women who refused him.
Variety reports he will not be eligible for release until he has served two thirds of the term. Brand had testified that every encounter was consensual.
Prison, a documentary and the wider fallout
Brand has been held at HMP Wandsworth since 5 November. Page Six, citing a report in The Sun, says he is being risk-assessed for a move to HMP Wakefield, the Category A prison where Ian Watkins was killed last year. That is an unconfirmed report from an anonymous source.
Netflix, meanwhile, has announced a documentary, “Open Secret”, from the producers of “Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story”, according to Variety. It follows the Times and Sunday Times investigation led by Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace. The allegations first emerged in 2023 in a Sunday Times and Channel 4 “Dispatches” documentary. Our earlier coverage covers how Brand was caught and the Netflix documentary.
The Herald notes the case has put a spotlight on powerful men and young women, and mentions a Guardian and ITV investigation that named David Walliams. Walliams has vigorously denied those allegations. The Guardian’s John Crace, in an opinion column, also revisited Nigel Farage‘s past appearance on Brand’s podcast.
What happens next
Detectives are assessing the new reports, and any decision to charge would be for prosecutors. A move to another prison is possible in the coming days or weeks, per the unconfirmed report. Everything we publish is collected on our Russell Brand page.
If this story raises issues for you, support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14 and 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
Frequently asked questions
What is Russell Brand’s sentence?
A London judge sentenced him to 10 years and six months in prison for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, according to Variety. He must serve two thirds before he can be released.
Are the new allegations proven?
No. Six women have made them to The Times, and Brand’s representatives did not respond. Police say they have received new reports but have announced no new charges.
Is Russell Brand facing other investigations?
Yes. The Metropolitan Police confirmed an investigation into further rape allegations from two other women, as reported by Variety.
