Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Paper Talk: Cops probe new Russell Brand claim as more women come forward
Tuesday’s front pages continue their coverage of the Russell Brand allegations as another person – unrelated to the documentary, spoke to the police over an alleged incident with Brand in 2003.
The Met confirmed on Monday it had received the report, though did not name Brand or announce a formal investigation. The claim is separate to initial allegations by four women that Brand assaulted them between 2006 and 2013.
Brand recently cancelled his remaining tour dates and more people are reportedly speaking to the Times – one of the newspapers which were apart of the years-long investigation into Russell Brand.
Russell Brand latest allegation
The Daily Mirror claims police have launched a probe following an official assault claim being made. It comes after one of the women from the documentary – who was just 16 when she was in a relationship with Brand, told the BBC that Brand’s denials were insulting.
The Metro notes that at the time of the alleged 2003 assault, Brand was a “rising stand-up star who had finished treatment for drink and drug addiction” but that within a year he had shot to fame.
The Times – one of the newspapers that was a part of the years-long investigation into Brand – says the fifth woman went to the cop just hours after the original claims were first published by the Times, the Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches – a 90-minute documentary. Police have spoken to the journalists involved in the investigation to make sure that anyone who believes they were a victim of a sexual assault, no matter how long ago, is aware of how to report it.
The i newspaper reports the allegations have led promoters to cancel the last three dates of Brand’s live tour. The paper says the cancellations came after a foodbank and drug addiction charity cut ties with Brand and his book publisher paused all future releases.
The Sun also leads on Brand asking “How many more?” The paper says it understands more alleged victims are “set to come forward to talk to police”.
‘Years to clear out rogue cops’
Away from the Russell Brand allegations, there are a few other stories making the leads on the newspaper front pages.
The Guardian’s lead story reports on the Met Police’s warning that it will take years to clear out rouge police officers in London. The paper says the Met revealed that 201 officers are suspended and 860 are on restricted duties.
It quotes Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy saying a “paradox” in the process meant “the harder we work, the more energy we put into identifying those who shouldn’t be in policing…, the more difficult cases, the more difficult stories will become public, and rightly so”.
The Daily Telegraph reports ministers are considering the introduction of a “minimum service level” that would force doctors to work during strikes. The paper quotes Health Secretary Steve Barclay saying the new measures are necessary in the face of “ongoing and escalating strike action”.The Daily Express leads with its own campaign calling on ministers to pledge that the triple lock on pensions will be honoured next year. The paper says its petition on the issue has reached 190,000 signatures.