Russell Brand’s rape conviction could encourage more victims to report historic allegations against high-profile figures, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has said.
Sir Mark said he would not be surprised if Brand’s conviction became a “tipping point” for people who had previously been reluctant to come forward because of an alleged abuser’s celebrity and influence.
He also warned that “many, many more” alleged victims could contact police with further claims against Brand, who is due to be sentenced on Monday.
Brand, 51, was found guilty after a four-week trial of sex offences against four women. He was convicted of raping a 21-year-old woman at his home in 2009, but was acquitted of two other rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault.
Detectives are already investigating two further rape allegations against him, including one involving a woman who was 16 at the time of the alleged attack. Officers have submitted files of evidence as they consider whether further charges should be brought.
“We’ve got two other victims who’ve come forward who want to tell their story, and so two rape cases we’re investigating,” Sir Mark said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if many, many more come forward.”
The commissioner compared the possible impact of Brand’s conviction with the disclosures following the exposure of Jimmy Savile as a prolific sex offender. Those allegations were followed by further reports that led to the convictions of broadcaster Rolf Harris and publicist Max Clifford.
Sir Mark said the jury’s decision should give confidence to other victims that they could be believed, regardless of the status of the person they accused.
“It’s an awful thing to step forward and report, particularly when you see the person who abused you as powerful,” he said. “If you’ve seen somebody else powerful taken down, that may be the tipping point.”
Concerns over rape myths in court
Sir Mark also criticised arguments made by Brand’s legal team during the trial, saying he was “angry” at suggestions that the complainants were not credible because they had not screamed, fled or reported the alleged attacks at the time.
“Victims go through such trauma, and to misrepresent how victims react to a jury, it shocked me that that happened,” he said. “Some people will freeze, some people will fight. After the event, some people will speak straight away, other people will bottle it up for ages.”
Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman said she was seeking changes to the law to ensure juries were warned against such claims. She also criticised Brand’s barrister, Ian Winter KC.
Mr Winter reported himself to the Bar Standards Board on Friday after a foul-mouthed exchange with Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin, who worked on the 2023 investigation into Brand. He later said he wanted the incident to be subject to “proper scrutiny” following the way it had been characterised in the press.
Brand’s defence had also argued that journalists and police were effectively encouraging women to make allegations after a newspaper investigation and a television documentary exposed claims against him in 2023.
The Prime Minister said he would examine the way rape trials are conducted amid concerns that complainants can feel they are “on trial”. He said: “We need to encourage more women to come forward to report rape. I wouldn’t rule anything out.”
