Under fire for on-stage prank

The comic told the operator that he had seen the so-called ‘underpass attacker’ who has pounced on at least two women in Northampton.

He always reads the local newspaper as part of his stage show, and during his Saturday night performance, he called the emergency response number published for witnesses to the assaults.

Brand used a fan’s mobile phone to tell the incident room he had spotted a suspicious man – in a call that one audience member captured on their camera and posted on YouTube, below.

He told them: ‘I have got some information for you. I saw a gentleman who fits the description. He was wearing a light green top and polka dot trousers and I thought, well look at the state of him.’

Adopting a female voice he said: ‘I’ve had someone very near my underpass.’

He described the man and said: ‘He was dressed like Timmy Mallett’ and ended up singing a love song to the operator, before she put the phone down.

A Northamptonshire police spokesman said: ‘We would discourage anyone from making calls such as this.’

Three women have been attacked in underpasses in Northampton in recent weeks.

Published: 15 Jul 2008