Mia Latter pushes for new staggered age of consent law after speaking out against Russell Brand

UPDATE - follow-up to Alleged Russell Brand rape victim wants age of consent law changed: Mia Latter, who waived her right to anonymity after previously being known as the pseudonym 'Alice', is campaigning for a staggered age of consent law following her allegations against Russell Brand. Latter was one of six women who made allegations against Brand in a 2023 media investigation by the Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches, though none of those women were complainants in Brand's recent criminal trial.

Details

Latter, now 37, told the Sunday Times that she was 16 when she met Brand, who was 30 and working at MTV at the time. She stated that Brand told her to keep their relationship a secret and referred to her as 'child' in front of his entourage, adding that she was allegedly orally raped towards the end of their relationship. While the Sunday Times initially reported her account as a sexual assault based on her first description, Latter now describes the incident as rape. Brand was recently sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, though he was acquitted of two other rape counts and an attempted indecent assault.

Campaign And Police

Latter is now calling for a staggered age of consent that would allow relationships between teenagers aged 16 to 18 while making it a criminal offence for adults in their thirties, forties or fifties to date anyone under 18. She stated she will not continue with the criminal process so she can focus on her campaign. Meanwhile, a Met Police spokesperson confirmed an investigation was launched in January 2026 after a rape allegation was received, and detectives are working with the Crown Prosecution Service as the inquiry remains ongoing. Cabinet Office Minister Louise Haigh described Latter's proposal as a massive step that deserves proper consideration and scrutiny, while also criticising a 2000s culture that normalised celebrity relationships with teenagers.

Context

Public debates over the age of consent often centre on how to balance the protection of minors with the realities of adolescent relationships. Lawmakers and policing agencies frequently review such proposals when high-profile cases bring systemic issues regarding power imbalances to public attention.