UK Government to Review Age of Consent After Russell Brand Allegation

The UK government is considering changes to the country's age of consent laws following renewed calls to protect teenagers from sexual relationships with significantly older adults, after a woman publicly alleged that comedian Russell Brand raped her when she was 16. Deputy Prime Minister Louise Haigh has said proposals for a staggered age of consent deserve proper consideration, bringing fresh attention to the legal protections available to teenagers aged 16 and 17 across the UK.

The debate intensified after Mia Latter, now 37, waived her right to anonymity and spoke publicly about her alleged experience with Brand, who was 30 at the time. She has called for legislation that would make sexual relationships between adults and 16 and 17-year-olds illegal, arguing that existing protections do not adequately address the imbalance between teenagers and considerably older adults.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Louise Haigh said Latter's account should be taken seriously by lawmakers and that the experiences of victims must inform discussions about potential legislative changes.

She acknowledged that changing the age of consent would represent a significant legal step but said the proposal deserved proper examination.

"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 said.

She added: "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."

Under the current legal framework described in the report, adults of any age can legally have sexual relationships with 16 and 17-year-olds. Campaigners argue that this leaves teenagers vulnerable to relationships involving substantial differences in age, experience and influence.

A staggered age of consent could introduce additional restrictions based on the age difference between individuals. However, the precise structure of any proposed legislation has not yet been established, and the government has not announced a formal decision to change the law.

Latter was previously identified by the pseudonym Alice in reporting by the Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches documentary.

She said she first encountered Brand in Leicester Square, central London, when she was 16 and returning home from a shopping trip. According to her account, Brand, who was working for MTV at the time, took her telephone number and subsequently contacted her to arrange dinner.

Latter told the Sunday Times that Brand continued to pursue a meeting after she had disclosed her age.

She alleges that towards the end of their three-month relationship, Brand orally raped her. Brand denied the allegations made by Latter when they were first reported in 2023.

Explaining why she believes the law should change, Latter questioned why public discussion repeatedly focuses on the fact that she was 16 rather than the wider circumstances of her allegations.

She said: "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."

Her intervention has brought renewed scrutiny to the distinction between the legal age of consent and the broader question of whether existing legislation offers sufficient protection against potentially exploitative relationships involving teenagers.

Brand has been convicted of offences against four of the six women who gave evidence against him at Southwark Crown Court. He is serving a 10-and-a-half-year prison sentence after being convicted of one count of rape and three sexual assaults.

However, Latter's allegations were not included in that trial. She contacted police following the broadcast of the documentary, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) did not include her case in the proceedings against Brand.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that an investigation into the alleged rape remains ongoing.

A police spokesperson said officers launched the investigation in January 2026 after receiving an allegation of rape. Detectives subsequently sought advice from the CPS about how to proceed.

The CPS advised that further information was required before a charging decision could be made.

The Metropolitan Police said: "This investigation remains ongoing. We understand the delay has been distressing for this victim-survivor. However, our focus has been on putting forward the best possible evidence."

The CPS also confirmed that it would continue working with investigators to provide legal advice and help ensure cases progress as quickly as possible.

The debate surrounding the age of consent has also emerged alongside separate allegations involving comedian David Walliams.

Earlier in the week, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that it was investigating a series of serious sexual offence allegations following reporting by the Guardian and ITV News.

One woman described an alleged encounter with Walliams when she was 15 as sexual assault. Walliams denies any wrongdoing.

Haigh also raised concerns about the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases involving alleged sexual harassment and assault.

She argued that the government should examine whether such agreements should be prohibited in circumstances involving harassment or discrimination, particularly where they could prevent victims from speaking publicly about their experiences.

"When we consider the allegations against David Walliams, teenagers who were fans wouldn't come under the current consultation," Haigh said.

She added that there was a strong case for examining restrictions on NDAs to ensure victims were not silenced, regardless of where the alleged conduct occurred or their relationship with the person accused.

Calls for stronger protections are also receiving attention beyond the governing Labour Party.

Jess Brown-Fuller, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson, has supported reviewing the age of consent legislation. She praised Latter for the courage involved in waiving her anonymity and speaking publicly.

Brown-Fuller argued that the law should better recognise the power imbalance that can exist between older adults and teenage girls.

She pointed to existing rules governing professional relationships, including restrictions involving teachers and students and barristers and junior colleagues.

Her position suggests that proposals for reviewing the age of consent could receive support from politicians across party lines, although no parliamentary agreement on specific legislative changes has been announced.

Bridget Phillipson, the minister for women and equalities, also praised Latter's decision to come forward, describing her courage and determination as an example to women and girls who have experienced sexual violence.

Phillipson said the responsibility and shame should never fall on victims and called for the country to do more to turn public attention into meaningful change.

For now, the UK government has indicated that the proposed changes deserve serious scrutiny rather than confirming an immediate alteration to the law. Any eventual reform would require detailed consideration of the existing legal framework, the protection of young people and the implications of introducing different consent rules for adults and teenagers.

Daily Dazzling Dawn will continue to follow developments surrounding the government's consideration of age of consent legislation, the Metropolitan Police investigation and any formal proposals brought forward in Parliament.