British ministers stated on Saturday that the UK government will discuss changing the age of consent following allegations made against Russell Brand.
The debate over legal reform emerged after Mia Latter, now 37, waived her anonymity in interviews with The Sunday Times to publicly claim she was raped by Brand when she was a 16-year-old schoolgirl and he was 30.
Work and Pensions Pat McFadden told LBC that Latter had raised an important question about an imbalance of power that the government will discuss.
Brand was handed a 10-and-a-half-year prison sentence on November 9 for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, as V2 Radio reported.
Consideration of Staggered Consent Laws
A staggered age of consent has been advocated by Latter, a measure that would criminalize relationships between adults and 16- and 17-year-old teenagers. British legislation currently permits adults of any age to engage in lawful sexual activity with 16 and 17-year-olds.
“I think we all sort of agree that … adults shouldn’t be allowed to have sexual relationships with children, with somebody under the age of 18. That really doesn’t seem like a gigantic leap to take,” Latter told The Daily Express.
De facto deputy prime minister Louise Haigh said Latter’s story warranted consideration of a law change. “It clearly would be a massive step to change the age of consent, but it deserves proper consideration and scrutiny. I can absolutely understand why she is calling for it,” de facto deputy prime minister Louise Haigh said, according to V2 Radio.
“We need to listen to Mia and other victims like her who have been through these experiences, because it’s really important that as lawmakers their experience is at the heart of what we consider,” Haigh told The Sunday Times.
| Official / Figure | Role / Detail | Ststance on Law Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mia Latter | Campaigner (age 37) | Calling for staggered age of consent to protect 16 and 17-year-olds |
| Pat McFadden | Work and Pensions Secretary | Stated the government will discuss the proposal and power imbalances |
| Louise Haigh | De facto Deputy Prime Minister | Stated the proposal deserves proper consideration and scrutiny |
Details of the Allegations
Toward the conclusion of their three-month romance—which commenced when he requested her phone number following an accidental encounter in central London’s Leicester Square—Brand subjected her to oral rape, according to Latter’s accusations. She said that Brand regularly referred to her as “the child” in front of his entourage.
Latter decided against continuing with the criminal process in a legal forum to focus on her campaign for law reform. She was told her case would not be included in an October trial to avoid it becoming what was described as “the Alice show,” utilizing her previous pseudonym.
Earlier this year during a guest spot on a podcast presented by Megyn Kelly, Brand admitted to having sexual relations with a 16-year-old at a time when he was aged 30. Past remarks from the incarcerated entertainer include characterizing his 30-year-old self as immature and asserting that consensual encounters tainted by disparities in power, such as celebrity status, constitute exploitation.
Brand and Walliams Face Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Following the trial at Southwark Court, Brand is facing six more allegations of sexual misconduct from other women.
Another comedian from the 2000s, David Walliams, has also been accused of sexual misconduct and grooming teenagers.
The Little Britain creator is facing a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old. Walliams has denied all allegations against him, stating that he is not a sexual predator and has not broken the law.
In Kent, local member of parliament Damian Collins described the change to the law around consent as an interesting idea in the wake of the Walliams allegations, according to Kent Online. Meanwhile, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said that he would consider a staggered age of consent following the Brand case, as reported by The Telegraph.
Several American jurisdictions, including Florida, enforce staggered consent provisions where the baseline age of consent is 18 while dropping to 16 provided both individuals are under 24 years old.
