Team Established in the Wake of Jimmy Savile Abuse Scandal Supports Police in Russell Brand Case
An expert team that was initially formed in response to the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal is now aiding the police in their investigation into rape and sexual assault allegations against Russell Brand.
Recent Allegations Against Russell Brand:
Scotland Yard recently confirmed that they had received a report of an alleged sexual assault related to media allegations against the 48-year-old comedian and actor, which he vehemently denies.
Assistance from the Hydrant Programme:
The Hydrant Programme, which consists of national experts in child sexual abuse inquiries, is supporting the Metropolitan Police in their response to these allegations. The program is calling on victims or survivors to come forward and speak to investigators about any allegations of sexual assault.
Origins of the Hydrant Programme:
The group, formerly known as Operation Hydrant, was established in 2014 after revelations of sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile. Savile, one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders, died in October 2011. The full extent of his crimes was exposed in the Operation Yewtree report in 2013, documenting 214 criminal offenses committed by the radio DJ and Top Of The Pops presenter.
The Hydrant Programme was initially set up to deliver a national policing response, oversee, and coordinate investigations into non-recent child abuse cases involving individuals of public prominence and historical offenses that occurred in institutions.
In the past year, the program expanded its responsibilities to include the child protection and abuse investigation portfolio of the National Police Chiefs’ Council. It is led by Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley.
Allegations Against Russell Brand:
Russell Brand has been accused of rape, assault, and emotional abuse spanning from 2006 to 2013, a period during which he was at the height of his fame, working for the BBC, Channel 4, and appearing in Hollywood films. These allegations resulted from a joint investigation conducted by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches.
In response to these allegations, both the BBC and Channel 4 have initiated investigations into Brand’s tenure at their respective channels. Channel 4 has also removed all content featuring Brand, while the BBC reviewed its content and made the decision to remove some based on public expectations.
YouTube, which hosts Brand’s video channel, and podcasting platform Acast, featuring his “Under The Skin” podcast, have both announced that he will not earn money from advertisements on their platforms.
Furthermore, the remaining shows of Brand’s “Bipolarisation” tour have been postponed. Notably, right-wing video platform Rumble has stated that the allegations against Brand are unrelated to its platform and has refused to penalize creators for actions outside the platform.
In a video released on his platforms, Russell Brand denied criminal allegations and stated that he has been “promiscuous” but emphasized that all his relationships have been “consensual.”