Police send Russell Brand file to CPS to consider charges

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is currently assessing whether to charge Russell Brand following historical sexual abuse allegations. The Metropolitan Police have submitted an evidence file on the 49-year-old actor and comedian, who has been accused by four women of sexual assaults occurring between 2006 and 2013, as reported by a joint investigation from The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches.

Brand has denied these claims, insisting that all his sexual encounters were "absolutely always consensual". A CPS spokesperson confirmed: "We can confirm we have been passed a file by the police to consider a charging decision in this case."

They added: "Any decision to charge is made independently, based on the evidence and in line with our legal test."

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police stated: "Our investigation continues and a file has now been passed to the CPS. We have a team of dedicated officers providing specialist support to the women who have come forward."

Furphy emphasised the commitment to investigating sexual offences, regardless of when they are alleged to have occurred.

During the period of the alleged offences, Brand was enjoying significant popularity, appearing on BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4, and featuring in various Hollywood movies.

On Saturday, a Met spokesperson revealed: "Following an investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times in September 2023, the Met received a number of reports of sexual offences from women in London and elsewhere in the country."

"A file of evidence has now been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for their consideration."

"As part of the investigation, a man in his 40s has been interviewed by officers under caution on three separate occasions."

"These interviews related to a number of non-recent sexual offences which are alleged to have taken place both in and outside of London."

"Officers continue to support the CPS as part of their investigation."

The force added: "This is a complex and sensitive matter and our absolute priority is to maintain the integrity of our investigation and support and retain the confidence of potential victims."

"We will continue to issue updates to media proactively at significant moments in our investigation."

Brand has strongly denied the allegations against him, asserting in an online video that all his relationships have been consensual. The comedian stated he was facing a "litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks".

"Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute," he declared.

"These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies and as I have written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous."

"Now during that time of promiscuity the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual. I was always transparent about that then, almost too transparent, and I am being transparent about it now as well."

"To see that transparency metastasised into something criminal, that I absolutely deny, makes me question: is there another agenda at play?"