Government ‘considering’ change in age of consent laws following Brand allegations

The government is “considering” a change in the law which would stagger the age of consent in the wake of allegations against Russell Brand and David Walliams.

Work and Pensions secretary Pat McFadden told broadcasters on Sunday that ministers would likely consider a change in approach to the age of consent.

The government has been facing calls to change current UK law that allows adults of any age to legally able to have sex with 16 and 17-year-olds, which campaigners claim “legally allows adults to have sex with children”.

Asked about calls for a staggered age of consent – which would make relationships between adults and teenagers aged 16 and 17 illegal – Mr McFadden said the government would likely consider such an approach.

Speaking on Sky News’s Sunday Morning With David Olusoga programme, he said: “I think the whole country last week has been appalled by the abuse of power by powerful men. And a big age gap can be part of that, can be a factor on that.

“So, I think what we’ve seen over the last week has certainly raised that question. There’ll be a number of issues to work through on it.

“I can’t give you a final answer on that today, but I do think that between Russell Brand, David Walliams, what’s been put out there, people are looking at these issues in a new light.

“They’re looking at powerful men abusing their position and that question, which has been raised, I think, by someone who was a victim of Russell Brand has come out today is certainly something that ministers will talk about.”

He added: “What we’ll definitely do is think about whatever we can do to help people at the wrong end of these abuses of power. We’re already changing the nature of NDAs, which are used to silence people, in the workplace on these issues.

“People have a right. Young women have a right to feel safe at work, to come in and do their job, and not be at the mercy of powerful men abusing their position and their authority.”

It comes after a woman waived her right to anonymity to publicly claim she was raped by Russell Brand as a 16-year-old schoolgirl.

Mia Latter, now 37, alleged she had been mistreated by the jailed comedian when she was a teenager and he was aged 30.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, she called for the introduction of a staggered age of consent.

Louise Haigh, the de facto deputy prime minister, told the newspaper that “Mia’s heart-breaking story” meant a law change deserved consideration.

She said: “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.

“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.”

Brand was convicted of attacks against four of the six women who gave evidence against him, and he is now serving a 10-and-a-half-year prison term for one count of rape and three sexual assaults.

Earlier this week, it was announced that a series of “serious” sex offence allegations against David Walliams are being probed by the Metropolitan Police following an investigation by The Guardian and ITV News on Tuesday.