Breaking: Russell Brand accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse

Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse over a seven-year period at the height of his fame.

The allegations were the result of a joint investigation by the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4 Dispatches. Brand denies the allegations.

The Times titles said they contacted Brand’s representatives with details of the allegations – as well as information to help him recall the incidents in question – in advance of its planned publication, giving them eight days to respond.

The papers reported that his lawyers initially claimed to be unable to do so because of the “large litany of questions” and the decision to agree to the women’s requests to anonymise them.

According to the report, Brand’s lawyers characterised the way in which the request for comment was made as part of a “pre-conceived strategy aimed at damaging their client” – adding that he believed there was a “deeply concerning agenda to all this, namely the fact that he is an alternative media broadcaster competing with mainstream media”. The Sunday Times said they did not reply to further requests for comment.

It was after being given further opportunity to respond to the allegations that Brand decided to broadcast a statement online on Friday, the Sunday Times said. It added that it received no answer when the papers asked for the evidence Brand claimed contradicted their reporting.

According to the paper’s report, one of the women said Brand entered into a relationship with her while he was 31 and she still a 16-year-old schoolgirl. She reportedly said he referred to her as “the child” during an alleged emotionally abusive and controlling three-month relationship, and that Brand once “forced his penis down her throat”, making her choke.

Another woman alleged Brand raped her in his Los Angeles home, the Sunday Times reported, adding that she received treatment at a rape crisis centre the same day. The paper said she messaged him to say she had been scared by him and felt taken advantage of, adding: “When a girl say[s] NO it means no.” Brand reportedly replied saying he was “very sorry”, the paper reported.

A third woman said Brand sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles, and that he threatened to take legal action if she told anyone else about her allegation, the paper reported. A fourth woman described being “sexually assaulted” by Brand, and him being “physically and emotionally abusive” towards her, the Sunday Times said.

The paper said several others had accused Brand of physical and emotional abuse, sexual harassment and bullying, adding that those who had come forward did not know each other and had mostly chosen to remain anonymous.

Brand, the actor and comedian, had already moved to deny what he called “very serious criminal allegations” on Friday night. In a video posted online, he said he had received correspondence from a media company and a newspaper detailing the claims; this is standard practice for journalists preparing to report serious allegations about a named entity.

He issued his denial in a video posted across his accounts on several media platforms, insisting his relationships had always been consensual.

He portrayed the reports as a “litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks” and said they pertained to a period of his career when he was working “in the mainstream … As I have written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous [at that time].”

Brand continued: “Now, during that time of promiscuity the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual. I was always transparent about that then, almost too transparent, and I am being transparent about it now as well.

“To see that transparency metastasised into something criminal, that I absolutely deny, makes me question: is there another agenda at play?”

Brand has been asked for comment.