Mia Tattler alleges Russell Brand raped her as a 16-year-old

A woman who alleges she was raped by Russell Brand while in a relationship with him as a 16-year-old says he was a "monstrous person" who would refer to her as "the child".

Warning: This article includes allegations of sexual assault some readers may find distressing.

Mia Latter was known as 'Alice' in a 2023 joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 about Russell Brand.

She alleged that Brand groomed her, was emotionally abusive, controlling and sexually abused her. He denied those allegations at the time.

On Monday, Brand was sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape and three counts of sexual assault in relation to separate complaints.

In the UK, victims and alleged victims of sexual offences are automatically entitled to lifelong anonymity, but can choose to waive that right.

Ms Latter, who was not a complainant in the trial, decided to reveal her identity in an overnight interview with the Sunday Times.

"Feeling incredibly nervous about it [speaking] because I know that it will open me up to lots of unwanted commentary, but it also feels incredibly important," the 37-year-old told the newspaper.

"It's not my shame and it's not my burden to carry anymore."

Ms Latter said she met Brand in London when she was 16 and he was 30, when he approached her and asked her on a date.

She said she told him she was 16, and that he replied that he did not care, but just needed "to know where I stand legally."

Ms Latter said their relationship lasted around three months, during which he allegedly orally raped her.

"People around me … they begged me not to see him, and it felt like an extra humiliation when he did assault me," she said.

"He's a monster … a monstrous person."

Ms Latter said Brand fetishised her for being young.

"He carried me around wrapped up in a towel like I was a baby, called me 'the child' or 'his little dolly', and would put me in the bath and bathe me," she said.

Removed from trial over Brand's interview

In April, Brand acknowledged that he had been in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old, in an interview with Megyn Kelly.

"I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30, but when I was 30, I was a very different person," Brand said at the time.

Ms Latter said following that interview, the police decided to remove her from the trial.

"They didn't want it to become the 'Alice show'," she said.

"I took it very badly, I was in a bad place … it just felt so unfair."

Ms Latter said she was asked to be part of a second trial, but has removed herself from the process.

"I just don't know what capacity I have to give years more of my life to this, for my head to be occupied with these awful crimes," she said.

"There were other women that shared their stories as part of the investigation, and I feel like justice has been served."

The Sunday Times reported that in a statement, the Metropolitan Police said they launched an investigation in January into an allegation of rape, but that investigation was ongoing.

"We understand the delay has been distressing for this victim survivor. However, our focus has been on putting forward the best possible evidence," they said.

Fighting for changes to consent laws

One of the main reasons Ms Latter said she was speaking out was to advocate for a staggered age of consent.

The current age of consent is 16 in the United Kingdom, regardless of gender, and there are added protections for those under the age of 18. 

Ms Latter wants the age of consent increased when the partner is older.  

"If you're in your 30s, 40s, and 50s and you're trying to have a relationship with someone under the age of 18, it's a criminal offence," she proposed.

Ms Latter said if added measures had been in place when she was 16, her parents could have stopped her from being with Brand.

"It would have been illegal for me to be staying at his house, [for him to] be having a sexual relationship with me, so the subsequent sexual assault would never have happened," she said.

"My parents did all the things; they took my phone away from me, my mother grounded me … but they can't keep me under lock and key the whole time, which they tried to do, but they failed."