Following a joint investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4, the actor comedian faces allegations of sexual assault and emotional abuse by four women.

The first woman alleges she was raped against a wall in the actor’s LA home, was treated at a crisis centre, and has said she provided medical evidence in support of her claim. The second woman claims that she was in a relationship with Brand while she was only 16 years old. The third woman alleges similar sexual assaults while at work. The fourth and final woman claims both physical and emotional abuse on top of the sexual assault.

The second woman told the Times that she had brought her allegations to Brand’s agent, Tavistock Wood, back in 2020, but received no response. The agent since made the statement that ‘Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him. Tavistock Wood has terminated all professional ties to Brand’.

While it is difficult to deal with allegations of sexual assault, it is important to take the victims seriously and investigate the claims to ensure that a fair outcome is reached. In an Employment context, it is important to remember that the employer is vicariously liable for the actions of their employees while in the course of their employment. Ensuring that all staff are trained on what amounts to sexual harassment and misconduct can help prevent incidents from occurring, or ensuring that staff feel able to come forward with their complaints.

Russell Brand has worked for many mainstream media outlets including Channel 4 and the Guardian. It is not yet known whether any complaints against Mr Brand were lodged whilst working for those organisations and if so what steps were taken by them. This story probably has further to run, with further twists and turns so in the meantime we are keeping an open mind.