Russell Brand’s victims have been urged to continue coming forward by the Metropolitan Police following the 51-year-old’s conviction in Southwark Crown Court today.
Brand, 51, was found guilty on one count of rape and guilty of three counts of sexual assault this afternoon.
He was warned by Judge Mr Justice Bennathan he now faces a “significant custodial term” after his four-week trial.
In new allegations revealed during his hearing, Brand has also been accused of raping two more women, including a 16-year-old schoolgirl, and could face further criminal charges.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who led the investigation into the former comedian, has encouraged further victims to come forward, as the Scotland Yard’s investigation into Brand continues.
He commended women who have already brought forward allegations for their “bravery, courage, resilience and determination”.
“What we see in many situations like this is when you see other people come forward and they’re courageous and brave, other people can get the similar kind of feelings and want to have their story told,” he explained.
“So if you’ve been a victim of a rape or sexual offence committed by Russell Brand and you haven’t spoken to police yet, then please come forward. We’ll listen to treat you with dignity and respect you.”
He then pleaded: “Watch this criminal justice outcome and you know the bravery and determination of the women that came forward on this occasion.
“If you find that you want to tell your story, if you want to say what’s happened to you now, then please come forward and speak to police.
“We’ve got specially trained officers, specially trained staff, uniquely experienced. We listen to you; treat with dignity and respect.”
This afternoon, Brand was found guilty of raping a young fan after one of his shows in 2009. Jurors also ruled he was guilty of groping another MTV worker during a 2004 party at a bar in Soho, although he was found not guilty of proceeding to orally rape her in a toilet.
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He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a Capital Radio worker after encountering her in a corridor in 2005 and of sexually assaulting a Channel 4 worker during a forced massage in 2009.
Brand was found not guilty of raping a woman he met at a cabaret show on the fringes of the 1999 Labour Party conference in Bournemouth and not guilty of trying to drag an MTV worker into a toilet to indecently assault her in 2001.
Det Sup Furphy said the investigation was “about the women that came forward and told us what happened to them”, adding: “It would be wrong for me to say that this investigation has attracted headlines because of who Russell Brand was, and, in fact, that played a part in his offend him.”
He explained: “As he becomes more famous and more successful, then becomes more emboldened in his offending. It plays a factor.
“It puts him in situations where people wouldn’t ordinarily find themselves. And I suppose he found himself not being held to account, not being challenged. But it doesn’t matter when a crime like this took place. The law is the law.”
Following Brand’s conviction in Thursday afternoon, David Roberts, Senior Crown Prosecutor in the London Rape and Serious Sexual Assault Unit, said: “Russell Brand was predatory and used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes. He was a manipulator with an insatiable desire to get what he wanted regardless of whether consent was given or not.
“As his career took off, he seized opportunities to assault the women around him. Although his tactics varied, at the centre of every assault was an abuse of power and sexual greed, with a complete disregard for the impact of his actions.
“I would like to thank all the women in this case for their courage in coming forward and seeing this sexual abuser brought to justice.”
He is expected to be sentenced on Monday, November 9.
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