Met Police chief says ‘many, many more victims’ of Russell Brand could come forward as comedian faces two new rape probes

Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, says he expects many more women may come forward with allegations against Russell Brand, as detectives investigate two further rape allegations. He also criticised defence arguments at Brand’s trial that complainants’ failure to scream or try to leave weakened their accounts, saying they came close to victim-blaming. The developments matter as police encourage other potential victims to report and calls grow for judges to address rape myths in court.

One of the two new complainants was 16 at the time of the alleged offence; Brand is said to have called her his “little dolly”. Rowley said high-profile cases can prompt more reports by giving victims confidence to speak, and stressed that people react to trauma in different ways. Brand was convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others, and police have submitted evidence files in the hope of bringing further charges.