Met Police Triaging Calls After Russell Brand's Conviction
The Metropolitan Police is sorting through new reports about Russell Brand, a day after he was jailed for rape and sexual assault.
Sorting what has come in
Triage here means a first sift. Detectives read each contact and decide whether it is information about behaviour or something that could be a criminal offence. Det Supt Andy Furphy, who led the investigation, told BBC Breakfast that the force had several reports in during and since the trial, and that "our work isn't done".
The Met confirmed that people have been getting in touch with the investigation team, either to pass on information or to report a possible criminal allegation. Detectives are looking at it as part of their continuing enquiries.
Separately, Brand is already under investigation over rape allegations from two more women. He has been interviewed under caution about them.
Sir Mark Rowley, who heads the Met, said on Friday that he would not be surprised if more people came forward with allegations about Brand.
Posting while under investigation
Dame Caroline Dinenage, an MP who chairs the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, repeated her concern that Brand made money on his social media platform throughout the process. In her telling, he went online to his two and a half million followers and denied everything while serious allegations were in the papers. She called that an opportunity his victims did not have.
Dinenage's letter in September 2023 went to Rumble, X, TikTok and Meta, after the Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches allegations. She asked whether they would follow YouTube in cutting off his income. Rumble publicly refused. X said it acts only when an account breaks its rules or the law. TikTok said his account was never monetised on its platform.
Dinenage added that Brand had used his following to try to cow people into silence. She called it unbelievably impressive that the women still came forward, told their story and secured the conviction.
The women who gave evidence
Furphy said some of them found the process deeply distressing, given the media attention around the case. He noted that Brand himself put material online before and during the trial. Police continue to support the women, and he said he was glad they trusted officers.
The conviction could not have been achieved without their bravery, courage and resilience, Furphy said.
Verdict and sentence
Brand, 51, was found guilty of charges involving four women between 2004 and 2009. On Monday he was sentenced to 10 years and six months. Judge Joel Bennathan called him a "sexual predator".
The breakdown is nine years for rape, plus 18 months, nine months and eight months for three counts of sexual assault. The three shorter terms run concurrently.
Source: BBC News