© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: British comic and actor Russell Model walks exterior the Wembley Park Theatre, in northwest London, Britain, September 16, 2023. REUTERS/Susannah Eire/File Photograph
By Michael Holden
LONDON (Reuters) -British police mentioned on Monday they’d launched an investigation into quite a few allegations of non-recent sexual offences following media experiences that 4 girls had accused actor and comic Russell Model of a string of sexual assaults.
Earlier this month, the Sunday Occasions newspaper and Channel 4 TV’s documentary present “Dispatches” reported the ladies had accused Model, 48, of intercourse offences, together with a rape, between 2006 and 2013.
Model has rejected the “very severe legal allegations”, saying on his social media channels that he had by no means had non-consensual intercourse.
“Following an investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Occasions, the Met has obtained quite a few allegations of sexual offences in London,” London’s Metropolitan Police mentioned in an announcement.
“Now we have additionally obtained quite a few allegations of sexual offences dedicated elsewhere within the nation and can examine these.”
Police declined to present particulars of the dates, the variety of incidents, or the main points of the offences underneath investigation.
Nevertheless final week, in wake of the experiences, the police did say they’d obtained an allegation of a sexual assault reported to have taken place in Soho, central London, in 2003.
“We proceed to encourage anybody who believes they might have been a sufferer of a sexual offence, irrespective of how way back it was, to contact us,” mentioned Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who’s main the investigation.
Because the allegations have been first printed and broadcast, British media have detailed different accounts by girls alleging inappropriate behaviour by Model, the previous husband of U.S. singer Katy Perry and as soon as one of many nation’s most high-profile comedians and broadcasters.
It additionally led to his promoters asserting the remaining dates of a stand-up tour he was on had been postponed, whereas YouTube mentioned final Tuesday it had blocked Model from earning profits from his on-line channel.
Model accused “large tech”, the federal government and mainstream media of attempting to close down impartial voices when he began his common broadcast on Monday on the net video web site Rumble, the place he has 1.6 million followers.
Nevertheless, he made no fast reference to the allegations of sexual offences.
Canadian-based platform Rumble has rejected calls from British lawmakers, amongst others to cease Model, who has starred in quite a few movies reminiscent of “Get Him to the Greek”, from earning profits from the location.
