Police investigating convicted sex offender Russell Brand say several more people have contacted detectives with information.
The 51-year-old actor was jailed for more than 10 years yesterday after being found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others between 2004 and 2009.
Following last week’s conviction, it emerged that detectives were already examining two additional rape allegations against Brand. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley also said he expected further potential victims to come forward.
The Met confirmed today that it is assessing information supplied by “several people”.
A force spokesperson said: “Several people have contacted the investigation team during and since the trial to provide information or report a potential criminal allegation.
“Detectives are assessing this information as part of their ongoing enquiries.”
Brand’s former girlfriend Jemima Goldsmith, 52, also came forward publicly last night, accusing the comedian of “violence, coercive control and abuse”.
She said a “violent incident” in 2014 left her so frightened that she called police to remove him from her £15million Cotswolds home.
Brand with his wife at Southwark Crown Court last Thursday, hours before he was convicted
Laura Gallacher mouths ‘I love you’ to Brand who waved as he was sent down to the cells – after the court heard that she was standing by him
Brand showed no emotion during yesterday’s sentencing as the judge said he had used his celebrity status to prey on women, believing that “fame meant you could act how you liked, when you liked, unhindered by the rules by which decent people live”.
Sitting in the dock, Brand blinked in apparent disbelief as he was told he would serve at least seven years of a 10-and-a-half-year sentence for attacks on four women between 2004 and 2009.
Hi, I’m Alex Matthews, Editor of The Crime Desk.
Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults – and our reporters Caroline Cheetham and Liz Hull were in court every day to witness it all. They sat down with Detective Inspector Laura Nelson, who explained why the women who accused him in the documentary were not part of his rape trial.
Brand now faces the possibility of a second trial as police examine a series of new claims. Prosecutors are expected to decide within weeks whether to charge him over two further alleged rapes, one involving a 16-year-old.
Mr Justice Bennathan said yesterday that Brand had displayed a “casual arrogant disregard to any woman’s right to say no”. Addressing him directly, the judge said: “About 20 years ago, Russell Brand, you were becoming famous, you were clever, and in many people’s eyes you were funny and charismatic. You had also become a sexual predator.”
The judge condemned Brand’s “staggering arrogance” and his belief that his “status protected” him after he attacked journalists when allegations about his conduct were first published in 2023.
He also criticised members of Brand’s entourage for enabling “dreadful behaviour”, saying assaults had taken place in front of staff who either laughed or failed to intervene.
Mr Justice Bennathan praised the victims for their “determination and bravery”.
“All those women had to face being confronted and being told they had lied, or twisted the truth and, or, they had agreed to your sexual demands: that was all done because of you, on your instructions,” he said.
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The judge also rejected rape myths raised during the trial after Brand’s defence barrister drew criticism for citing stereotypes that suggested the victims should not be believed because they had not screamed, kicked or slapped him.
He said: “Whatever women wear, wherever they go, indeed whatever they drink, they retain the right to say no and to demand justice from the criminal courts when sexual predators like you, Russell Brand, act without their consent.”
Legal sources told the Daily Mail that Brand’s barrister, Mr Winter, was paid about £1million for the defence.
The fraud specialist was brought in after several leading female barristers reportedly declined to represent Brand.
However, the decision prompted further controversy when the Bar Standards Board opened an investigation after Mr Winter directed a foul-mouthed outburst at the journalist whose reporting helped expose the allegations. Following the verdict, he told her that she had “f*****” justice.
Andy Burnham has since pledged to pursue changes to the law, promising to be “relentless in making whatever improvements” are needed to strengthen support for victims.
During yesterday’s hearing, Mr Winter argued that Brand had been unfairly depicted as a “monster”. He asked the judge to view his client as a man who had suffered a “short, momentary total failure” to respect a woman’s consent.
Although Brand was convicted of rape, Mr Winter attracted criticism in court when he argued that the sentence should not be imposed on the basis that Brand was, “in general terms, a rapist”, as he had been portrayed over the previous four days.
Brand will serve two-thirds of his sentence before being released on licence.
He is expected to seek legal advice about an appeal, although legal sources say the jury’s mixed verdicts could make it difficult to convince appeal judges that the trial was unfair.
Brand was convicted of rape and three sexual assaults but acquitted of two further rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.
One source said: “In a way it would have been easier for Winter if there had been a clean sweep of guilty verdicts. He could then have argued that Brand had not received a fair trial because of the Channel 4 Dispatches and Sunday Times investigation.
A sketch shows Brand front, his wife left, his father Ron right, and his bodyguard at the back as he was sentenced
“The mixed verdicts indicate that the jury reached its decisions on the evidence, regardless of the media coverage, which makes an appeal very difficult.”
After sentencing, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy urged anyone who may have been victimised by Brand to contact police.
He said: “I want to make a direct appeal to anyone who has been a victim of rape or any other sexual offence.
“We know it can take enormous courage to speak about what has happened to you, no matter how long ago it occurred or who was responsible.
“If you come forward, you will be listened to, supported and treated with care and compassion.”
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