ESSEX comedian Russell Brand is in trouble again after making a prank call to police during a live show.

The gregarious Grays gadabout made the hoax call during a live show in Northampton on Saturday night, claiming to have seen a man wanted for three serious sex attacks in the city.

The 33-year-old has been condemned by rape charities for ringing the emergency response line as part of his routine.

According to the Daily Mail, Brand pretended to be a woman and said he had seen a suspicious-looking man wearing “polka dot trousers and a pink dayglo cap” lurking in an underpass in the town.

During the call, which lasted about three minutes, the police employee asked why there was laughter in the background – Brand said it was an episode of The Bill which was on the television.

The employee ended the call after Russell asked her out for dinner and began to sing down the phone.

Brand has since apologised and police have warned people against making hoax calls.

The comedian responded: “I appreciate the seriousness of the issue and am devastated by the possibility that I may have offended vulnerable people.

“I maintain that through discourse we can illuminate these dark behaviours but that ought not to be at the expense of people's feelings.”