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Alleged Russell Brand rape victim wants age of consent law changed
Mia Latter, who says Russell Brand raped her when she was 16, has waived her right to anonymity and is campaigning for a change to the age of consent law. She wants a staggered system that would allow relationships between teenagers aged 16 and 17 but make relationships between under-18s and adults a criminal offence.
Latter, now 37, says she met Brand when he was 30 and working at MTV, and alleges he later orally raped her; Brand denied allegations made in the 2023 media investigation. She was not a complainant in his recent criminal trial, in which he was sentenced to 10 and a half years for rape and three sexual assaults, while acquitted of other charges. Police say an investigation into Latter’s allegation, opened in January 2026, remains ongoing, and the Crown Prosecution Service says it is advising investigators.
In short
- Mia Latter is campaigning for a staggered age of consent.
- She alleges Brand raped her when she was 16.
- Police say her allegation remains under investigation.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A staggered age-of-consent law could better protect 16- and 17-year-olds from adults who use differences in age, status or experience to exploit them, while preserving teenagers’ ability to have relationships with one another. Supporters may argue that a clear legal boundary would help young people, families and authorities recognise and act on harmful adult conduct.
The case against
A higher threshold for relationships with adults could criminalise consensual relationships involving 16- or 17-year-olds and remove their agency to make intimate choices. Opponents may argue that existing safeguards against coercion and exploitation should be strengthened, and that any new rule needs carefully defined exceptions to avoid treating close-in-age relationships or other complex circumstances as crimes.
Explained simply
In England and Wales, the age of consent is 16, so a person aged 16 or 17 can legally consent to sex. The law does not generally make a relationship with an adult a criminal offence solely because one person is under 18, although other protections apply in some circumstances, such as when an adult is in a position of trust.
Mia Latter says Russell Brand raped her when she was 16 and he was 30; Brand denied allegations made in a 2023 media investigation. Latter was not a complainant in Brand’s recent criminal trial. Her proposal would distinguish between relationships involving 16- and 17-year-olds and those involving an adult, raising questions about how the law should protect teenagers while recognising their ability to consent.