Russell Brand has reportedly been questioned by police over alleged historical sex offences against the comic.
Russell Brand has reportedly been questioned by police over alleged historical sex offences against the comic
The 48-year-old actor was accused in September of rape and sexual assaults by four women before several more came forward to accuse him of similar offences, and Scotland Yard have now said a man in his forties – understood to be Brand – attended a police station in south London on Thursday. (16.11.23)
The Sun reported on Sunday (19.11.23) the man quizzed was Russell, and said that while he was at the police station he was questioned “over three sexual offences” said to be “non-recent”.
Met officers have been encouraging possible victims of the comic to come forward after a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches aired in September that contained accounts from women of the comic’s alleged abuse.
Russell has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and insists his relationships were “always consensual”.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the inquiry, later said: “We continue to encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a sexual offence, no matter how long ago it was, to contact us.”
He added: “We understand it can feel like a difficult step to take, and I want to reassure that we have a team of specialist officers available to advise and support.”
Russell, who is expecting his third child with wife Laura Gallacher, 36, was alleged in September to have abused four women during a seven-year period from 2006 to 2013 at the peak of his fame.
Along with the four women who have accused the comic of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse, The Times said others have made a range of accusations about the actor’s “controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour”.
Former heroin addict Russell – who has reinvented himself as a self-help guru since ditching the drink and drugs he was doing when he found fame – denied the accusations in a 2 minute, 45 second video posted online in which he said all relationships he had during a period of being “very, very promiscuous” were all consensual.
One woman alleges Russell raped her against a wall in his Los Angeles home.
The Times said she was treated at a rape crisis centre on the same day “according to medical records”.
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