Met Police receives Russell Brand sex assault claim dating back to 2003 - as live shows postponed
The Met Police has said it has received an allegation of sexual assault against Russell Brand dating back to 2003.
It comes after four women made sexual abuse allegations against the comedian between 2006 and 2013 as part of an investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches.
The comedian had been due to perform at the Theatre Royal in Windsor on Tuesday and more dates are scheduled in Wolverhampton and Plymouth in the coming weeks. The tour promoters said in a statement on Monday: "We are postponing these few remaining addiction charity fundraiser shows, we don't like doing it - but we know you'll understand."
Since publication, The Times said it had been contacted by "several women" with further claims about Brand, but said their allegations have not yet been investigated and "will now be rigorously checked".
A spokesperson for the Met said: "We are aware of reporting by The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches about allegations of sexual offences.
"On Sunday 17 September, the Met received a report of a sexual assault which was alleged to have taken place in Soho in central London in 2003. Officers are in contact with the woman and will be providing her with support.
"We first spoke with The Sunday Times on Saturday 16 September and have since made further approaches to The Sunday Times and Channel 4 to ensure that anyone who believes they have been the victim of a sexual offence is aware of how to report this to the police.
"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."
Read more:The allegations in fullStars' past warnings resurfaceFrom drug addict to controversial comedy star
Brand, 48, denies any allegations against him. He claimed in a video posted online on Friday night that all his relationships have been "consensual".
On Monday one of his accusers claimed a BBC car took her from school to the star's house when she was 16 years old.
"Alice" told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour the alleged abusive relationship left her feeling "cheap and dirtied".
She went on to say Brand's denial of the accusations was "insulting", adding: "It's laughable that he would even imply that this is some kind of mainstream media conspiracy. He's not outside the mainstream."
Downing Street has also described the allegations against Brand as "very serious and concerning".
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Channel 4 and TV production firm Banijay UK confirmed over the weekend that they had launched investigations, while the BBC said it was "urgently looking into the issues raised".
The charity Trevi Women, which supports mothers recovering from drug addiction, also announced on Saturday it was cutting ties with Brand.
Brand performed at a comedy show in London on Saturday evening after the allegations came out, telling fans he loved them but that there were "certain things" he "could not discuss".
The comedian has three more dates for his Bipolarisation live show tour, with his next a sell-out in Windsor, before appearances in Plymouth and Wolverhampton.
Brand said in his video on Friday: "As I've written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous.
"I don't mind them using my books and my stand-up to talk about my promiscuous consensual conduct in the past. What I seriously refute are these very, very serious criminal allegations."
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He added: "Also, it's worth mentioning that there are witnesses whose evidence directly contradicts the narrative that these two mainstream media outlets are trying to construct, apparently, in what seems to me to be a coordinated attack."
Signing off the video, Brand said: "We are obviously going to look into this matter 'cause it's very, very serious."
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28 of September 2023
