Russell Brand latest: Met Police chief issues appeal as ‘many more’ victims may come forward after rape conviction

The chief of the Metropolitan Police has said “many more” victims could come forward after Russell Brand was convicted of one count of rape and three sexual assaults following a dramatic four-week trial.

Sir Mark Rowley said high-profile cases did often lead to an “upsurge” in reporting because it gave victims confidence to speak up about attackers in their cases.

He told BBC Breakfast: “There’s two more cases we’re investigating at the moment. I clearly wouldn’t be surprised if many more came forward.”

Brand, now 51, preyed on women he encountered while becoming one of Britain’s best-known stand-up comedians, a lauded TV and radio host, and a Hollywood film star.

His victims told the trial how he had forced them into sexual activity, sometimes within seconds of their first meeting, using his immense fame to pursue a goal of sex with 5,000 women.

At Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, a jury found Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was cleared of two counts of rape and one charge of attempted indecent assault.

Judge Mr Justice Bennathan told Brand the charges meant he faced “a custodial sentence of some length” when he is sentenced on Monday.

Recap: Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault

Russell Brand is facing a prison sentence after being found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault following a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Delivering their verdict on Thursday, the jury convicted Brand of raping a young fan after one of his shows in 2009 – but cleared him of two other counts of rape and one attempted indecent assault.

Brand was remanded into custody and will be sentenced on Monday. udge Mr Justice Bennathan told Brand the charges meant he faced “a custodial sentence of some length”.

Nicole Wootton-Cane6 November 2026 08:30

Met chief not surprised if 'many more' alleged Brand victims come forward

Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley said he would not be surprised if “many more” alleged victims of Russell Brand now came forward.

He said high-profile cases did often lead to an “upsurge” in reporting because it gave victims confidence to speak up about attackers in their cases.

He told BBC Breakfast: “It does make a difference because people see it is possible, and you will be believed.”

On Brand, he added: “There’s two more cases we’re investigating at the moment. I clearly wouldn’t be surprised if many more came forward.”

Tom Barnes6 November 2026 07:55

Met Police chief urges any other victims to come forward

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the force is encouraging anybody else to come forward if there are any other allegations after Russell Brand was convicted of raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three women.

Sir Mark told Times Radio: “Every case like this depends on brave victim survivors who are prepared to step forward and tell their story to police officers and tell their story to a court when you’ve had something so intrusive and awful happen that that really shows real bravery and determination, and you have to admire that.

“I’m proud of our officers and the support they’ve offered them and the case they’ve built. They’ve spoken to 100 witnesses. They’ve taken 400 statements. It’s a sizeable investigation.

“As you’ve heard, there’s two more rape allegations that we’re looking at. We’re encouraging anybody else to come forward if there’s any other allegations.

“The wider point I would make: this looks at one hand it’s a celebrity, but most sex offending is where someone of power exploits that with someone who is less powerful themselves.

“It might be an uncle, it might be a teacher, it might be a vicar. Could be a whole range of different situations. And what cases like this show is, it doesn’t matter how powerful the person is, we will support you, and we will try and bring down the person who did something ghastly to you.”

Tom Barnes6 November 2026 07:38

Brand spends first night in cells ahead of sentencing next week

Russell Brand spent his first night in a cell ahead of a potentially years-long imprisonment, after he was convicted of raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three women during his showbiz heyday.

Brand, now 51, preyed on women he encountered while becoming one of Britain’s best-known stand-up comedians, a lauded TV and radio host, and a Hollywood movie star.

His victims came to court to reveal how Brand had forced them into sexual activity, sometimes within seconds of them first meeting, using his fame to determinedly pursue a goal of sex with 5,000 women.

On Thursday at Southwark Crown Court, a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

He was cleared of two further charges of rape and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.

The disgraced comedian-turned-conspiracy theorist will spend the weekend in custody before he returns to the same court on Monday to learn his prison sentence.

Tom Barnes6 November 2026 07:29

Jane Dalton6 November 2026 07:00

Jane Dalton6 November 2026 06:00

Social-media users condemn Brand barrister remarks to journalist

Social media users overwhelmingly condemned remarks by Russell Brand’s barrister, who launched into a tirade at a journalist after the comedian was found guilty of rape and sexual assault.

Ian Winter KC confronted Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin, whose investigation led to Brand’s victims coming forward, telling her: “I hope you are pleased with yourself.”

Ms Urwin responded: “I’m pleased justice has been done,” before Mr Winter replied: “Well, it wasn’t. You f***** it.” He added: “Congratulations.”

In an interview on Times Radio following the exchange, Ben Taylor, editor of The Sunday Times, said: “I found what Mr Winter did quite extraordinary. I have never seen or heard of a barrister behaving in this way.

“There’s a really serious point here, which is that it was not Ros who found Russell Brand guilty at Southwark Crown Court. It was a jury of eight men and four women who have sat through this case.

“They’ve listened to the evidence, they’ve listened to the defence, and they have gone away and they’ve come back with some very considered verdicts.

“By impugning Ros’ integrity, what Mr Winter is doing – and he should really be called to account for this – he’s impugning the integrity of the entire case.”

Jane Dalton6 November 2026 05:30

Brand tried to smear journalists as 'criminals'

It can now be revealed that Brand tried to smear journalists as “criminals” and claimed women accusing him of abuse were “fictional” in a bid to avoid trial.

In legal argument that can now be reported for the first time, Brand tried to claim that TV and newspaper journalists had plotted to get him prosecuted and, by publishing the findings of their investigation, had perverted the course of justice.

The shamed comedian-turned-conspiracy theorist, 51, argued he had been “destroyed” by a “trial by media” when The Sunday Times and a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary exposed him as a sexual predator in 2023.

But prosecutors fought against the charges being thrown out, and the judge rejected the arguments of Brand’s lawyers, saying it was “unpersuasive” to claim that journalists had committed a crime.

He ruled: “There is a history, both modern and ancient, of the media running what they claim are exposes of misconduct.”

He highlighted media coverage of alleged unlawful donations to Reform UK this year, as well as allegations in Private Eye magazine in the 1960s about the Kray twins, and said: “Sometimes those claimed revelations lead to convictions, sometimes they do not. It has never been suggested that that type of publication is unlawful.”

The judge concluded the jury could be selected from members of the public who had not read The Times and Sunday Times reporting or seen the Dispatches programme.