‘Jimmy Savile police unit’ working with Met on Russell Brand allegations

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A police unit established in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal is working with the Metropolitan Police to probe allegations made against comedian Russell Brand.

The 48-year-old presenter has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by four women during the height of his fame between 2006 and 2013. He has vehemently denied the claims and said that his relationships were “absolutely always consensual”.

Officers from the Hydrant Programme have now confirmed they are supporting the Met Police with their enquiries, and have urged women to come forward.

“We are working with the Metropolitan Police in support of their response to recent allegations and would urge any victim or survivor who feels ready to report any allegations of sexual assault to come forward and speak to officers,” a spokesperson for the Hydrant Programme said.

If you have information in relation to the allegations against Russell Brand which you would like to share with The Independent’s reporting team, please email yourstories@independent.co.uk

First known as Operation Hydrant, the specialist unit was formed to investigate historical abuse after former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile was revealed to have sexually abused hundreds of victims.

The predator’s reign of abuse was exposed after his death in late 2012, in which it was revealed he had raped and abused vulnerable adults and children on NHS and BBC premises while undertaking charity work. A criminal investigation revealed 400 lines of inquiry with over 300 victims, with incidents reported at 28 NHS hospitals.

The allegations against Brand were first disclosed by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times, and include the rape of a woman at his Los Angeles home and an abusive relationship with a 16-year-old schoolgirl.

It was claimed that his behaviour was an “open secret” within the TV industry, and that production staff working on Channel 4’s Big Brother’s Big Mouth were made to feel like “pimps” for the presenter.

At the time, Brand had a string of presenter roles on Channel 4 and BBC radio programmes, with both corporations announcing “urgent” internal reviews in the wake of the allegations.

The Met Police have also received an allegation that predates the Sunday Times investigation, after a woman reported an alleged assault in Soho in 2003.

The Times claims that “several women” have come forward with further allegations about Brand’s behaviour during the 2000s, which are currently being “rigorously checked”.

BBC director-general Tim Davie has pledged a full review of Brand’s time as a presenter between 2006 and 2008, including an allegation that a BBC car collected a 16-year-old from school to take to his address.

His back catalogue of comedy shows have been removed from Channel 4 and iPlayer, while his September tour dates have been cancelled.

Brand has denied the claims, which he described as a “litany of egregious and aggressive attacks” that he “completely refutes”.