British police are investigating allegations of sexual assault against the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein from seven women, the BBC reported this afternoon.

Officers are investigating incidents reported to have taken place between the 1980s and 2015 in London and outside the UK but no arrests had been made, according to the BBC. 

London's Metropolitan Police said it could not comment.

Weinstein is at the centre of a growing international scandal about sexual harassment.

Dozens of women, many of them actresses who encountered Weinstein in what was supposed to be a professional capacity, have come forward with allegations against him of behaviour ranging from persistent unwanted advances to rape.

He denies allegations of non-consensual sex.

The Guardian had reported on October 12 that British police were investigating Weinstein for alleged sex crimes. As is standard procedure in Britain, the police confirmed an allegation had been received and would be assessed, but did not identify the person involved.

In the US, police in New York and Los Angeles have said they were investigating allegations of sexual assault against Weinstein.

In the UK, police are under an obligation to investigate certain types of allegations if they receive them.

The sexual assault scandal has in recent days moved into the realm of British politics, with the Prime Minister, Theresa May, writing to the Speaker of the House of Commons about the issue. The Government has said that it will take a zero tolerance approach to sexual abuse.

Additional reporting by Reuters.