Brit cops probing accusations vs. Brand

London police are investigating Russell Brand after several women accused him of sexual assault and misconduct.

The Metropolitan Police did not name Brand (photo) when they announced the probe on Monday, but they specifically referenced a joint investigation by British newspapers and a TV channel.

“We continue to encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a sexual offense, no matter how long ago it was, to contact us,” said Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation.

Brand, 48, has denied the allegations. As more women have come forward, Brand, an actor and commentator, has claimed to be the victim of a conspiracy by the British government and large technology companies that wish to silence him.

London police said they were investigating assault reports in the city and elsewhere in the U.K. The cops said all the reports were from years in the past.

The Times of London, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 published collaborative reports on Sept. 16 that detailed sexual assault allegations against Brand. That investigation focused on four women who knew Brand between 2006 and 2013.

One woman said Brand raped her in Los Angeles in 2012. Another woman said she was 16 when Brand, then in his 30s, began an emotionally abusive relationship in which he sexually assaulted her.

After the initial report, several more women have spoken with British media outlets and detailed alleged sexual misconduct by Brand.

Police did not say exactly which reports were part of the investigation. London cops did say last week that they were aware of claims Brand sexually assaulted a woman in 2003 in the city’s Soho neighborhood.

Brand was previously accused of sexual assault by his ex-girlfriend Jordan Martin in her book, published in 2014. Martin also said Brand was manipulative during their six-month relationship.

Initially known as a provocative comedian and TV presenter in the U.K., Brand rose to global stardom in the late 2000s and early 2010s with prominent roles in the Hollywood films “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Get Him to the Greek” and “Rock of Ages.” He was married to pop star Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012.

Though no longer a mainstream presence, Brand has became a podcaster and countercultural YouTube star with 6.6 million subscribers.