More women likely to come forward, says detective who led Russell Brand investigation

Warning: Details of rape and sexual assault

More victims of disgraced comedian Russell Brand are likely to come forward now that he has been found guilty of rape and sexual assault, the detective who led the police investigation has said.

Det Supt Andy Furphy, from the Metropolitan Police, said he hoped other women would gain "courage" and "confidence" from the guilty verdicts.

Brand has been found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault by a jury of eight men and four women at Southwark Crown Court, following a three-week trial. He was found not guilty of two counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault.

Brand is being investigated over further rape allegations made by two women, it can now be reported.

Brand had initially been coy and quiet in police interviews, said Furphy, but became bolder as officers continued to question him.

"As he gets used to something, he becomes more emboldened by it," Furphy said. "You can certainly see that in his offending."

Hundreds of people were interviewed as part of the investigation and officers said several witnesses came forward, some of whom had previously had a sexual relationship with Brand. Katy Perry, the US singer who was married to Brand from 2010 to 2012, was not interviewed.

Brand, 51, who was described in court as "ruthless" and a "sexual predator", was once one of the UK's most high-profile and in-demand entertainers.

Some of the women said they have been left "haunted for years" by what he did to them.

Speaking to the BBC, officers working on the three-year Metropolitan Police investigation described how bringing Brand to justice was not without its challenges.

Allegations about Brand's behaviour first emerged in the media in September 2023.

The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme jointly reported that four women had accused him of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse - claims he strongly denied.

The investigation into other reports against Brand began soon after the story broke.

"We kind of assumed that people might want to come forward," Furphy said, "and people came forward."

Victim reports were made to forces across the country and the Met set up a dedicated team of officers to lead the investigation, which it called Operation Actinolite. Officers said they have since taken more than 340 witness statements - including from Brand's former employers, his ex-colleagues and associates.

One officer was assigned to read Brand's books, watch his stand-up routines and DVDs and listen to his podcasts to help build the case.

His high profile and the intense media scrutiny around him proved a challenge to officers, said Furphy.

Another complexity for the team was the allegations were all "non-recent". The earliest dated back 27 years. It meant there was no CCTV and no forensic evidence to work with.

Furphy said police had to look for other ways to build their case.

"Can we look at where the victims were at the time? Who did they speak to in the aftermath of it? Did they tell anybody else? What other available material is there for us to review that might lend some weight to it? Just because it's non-recent doesn't mean that we can't solve it at all."

Brand's former friend was called to court to give evidence for the prosecution, while a statement from the parents of one of the women was heard.

The entertainer's former personal assistant, who worked closely with Brand, told the jury about his "insane sexual appetite".

The women each came to court and gave evidence to the jury from behind a screen, with Brand listening from the dock. At times they cried as they gave their evidence.

Furphy believes there may be more women who will now come forward.

"I think it's likely - potentially - that other women will come forward," he said. "They'll probably gain some courage and some confidence from what's happened in the courtroom over the last few weeks."

He credits the women for their bravery during what has been at times a "deeply uncomfortable" process. "They are courageous, determined women and our focus has always been on them, not Russell Brand."