Following Russell Brand affair: UK considers changing age of consent law

Following the Russell Brand affair, the UK government is considering changing the age of consent law. The initiative arose after the testimony of a woman who claims Brand raped her when she was 16. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said the government will examine the possibility.

The UK government is considering changing the age of consent laws following the rape case of comedian Russell Brand, who was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison. The initiative arose after the testimony of Mia Latter, now 37, who claims Brand raped her when she was 16 and he was 30. Latter demands changing the law to prevent adults from having sex with 16- and 17-year-olds. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said the government will examine the possibility of changing the law, addressing the exploitation of power by powerful men. Currently the age of consent in the UK is 16, and the proposal seeks to create a graduated age of consent that protects teenagers without criminalizing close-in-age relationships. The opposition has also expressed interest in the initiative, but no government bill has been tabled yet. Brand was convicted of rape and three counts of sexual assault in a trial that concluded last week.