Mia Latter, a 37-year-old British woman, has publicly accused comedian Russell Brand of raping her when she was 16 and he was 30. Her decision to reveal her identity has renewed attention on allegations first reported in 2023 and prompted calls to change Britain's age of consent laws. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that an investigation into her allegation remains open, although she has decided to step away from the criminal process.
Latter previously appeared under the pseudonym Alice in a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches. She waived her legal right to anonymity in an interview published in November 2026, explaining that she wants stronger protections for teenagers in relationships with significantly older adults. Her allegations were not among the charges considered during Brand's recent criminal trial.
The disclosure comes days after Brand, 51, received a prison sentence of 10 years and six months for unrelated sexual offenses. A jury convicted him on November 5 of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women. He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in London on November 9.
Woman Describes Alleged Relationship With Brand
Latter said she first encountered Brand in Leicester Square, central London, while returning from a shopping trip in 2006. She was still attending school, while Brand was working as a television presenter for MTV. According to her account, he obtained her telephone number and subsequently contacted her to arrange a meeting.
She said Brand continued pursuing the relationship after learning that she was only 16. Latter alleged that he encouraged her to keep their involvement secret from her school friends, although people around him knew about it. She also claimed that Brand referred to her as "the child" in conversations with his entourage.
The relationship lasted approximately three months, according to her account published by The Sunday Times. Latter alleged that Brand raped her toward the end of that period. These allegations have not been established in court, and Brand denied the allegations made against him when they were first reported in 2023.
The claims attracted widespread attention following the original television and newspaper investigation. Latter was one of six women whose accounts appeared in the 2023 reporting, but she remained anonymous at the time. Her decision to identify herself publicly has brought renewed attention to the relationship and its lasting effects on her life.
Police Investigation Remains Open
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers opened an investigation in January 2026 after receiving an allegation of rape. Detectives sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service about how the case should proceed. Prosecutors advised that further information was necessary before a charging decision could be made.
Police have emphasized that the investigation remains active despite Latter's decision to withdraw from further participation in the criminal process. Her allegation was not included in the trial that resulted in Brand's recent convictions. No charge has been announced in connection with her account.
Latter told The Sunday Times that the possibility of further legal proceedings had become emotionally exhausting. She said she wanted to focus on campaigning for legislative reform rather than spending additional years involved in a criminal case. The decision does not establish whether prosecutors will eventually bring charges.
The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will continue working with investigators to assess evidence and provide legal advice. Any future prosecution would require sufficient evidence and a determination that proceeding is in the public interest. Police have not announced when their investigation might be completed.
Campaign Calls for Changes to Age of Consent Laws
Latter is advocating a staggered age of consent designed to protect 16- and 17-year-olds from sexual relationships with substantially older adults. Her proposal would distinguish relationships between teenagers of similar ages from those involving a much older person. Supporters argue that the existing law does not always adequately address differences in experience, authority and influence.
In England and Wales, the general age of consent is 16. This means consensual sexual activity between a 16- or 17-year-old and an adult is not automatically a criminal offense because of their ages. However, sexual activity without consent remains illegal regardless of age, and additional protections apply where an adult occupies certain positions of trust.
Latter believes those protections should be expanded. Her campaign focuses on situations in which an older adult may hold considerable influence over a teenager, even without occupying a legally recognized position of trust. She argues that the current legal framework leaves some young people vulnerable to exploitation.
The proposed changes would require lawmakers to consider how relationships between young people should be treated differently from relationships involving much older adults. Any reform would need clear rules identifying which age differences would be prohibited. No legislation implementing Latter's proposal has been enacted.
Government Signals Willingness to Consider Reform
The issue has attracted attention from senior British government figures following Latter's public statement. Louise Haigh, the First Secretary of State, said the proposal deserved serious examination. She acknowledged that changing the age of consent would represent a substantial legal step.
Haigh emphasized the importance of considering the experiences of people who say they have suffered sexual abuse. Her comments did not amount to a government commitment to introduce legislation. However, they indicated that the proposed changes could become part of a wider discussion about safeguarding teenagers.
The debate also raises questions about how the law distinguishes consent from exploitation. A person meeting the legal age of consent does not automatically mean every sexual encounter is consensual. Consent must be freely given, and sexual offenses can occur within an existing relationship.
Those distinctions are central to Latter's campaign. She wants the law to recognize circumstances in which large age differences may create opportunities for manipulation or coercion. Whether lawmakers will support her specific proposal remains uncertain.
Brand Serving Sentence for Separate Offenses
Brand's recent conviction followed a four-week trial involving allegations dating from 2004 to 2009. The jury found him guilty of rape and three sexual assaults against four women. He was acquitted of two other rape charges and an allegation of attempted indecent assault.
The Crown Prosecution Service said the convicted offenses demonstrated how Brand used his growing public profile to exploit women. During sentencing, victims described the lasting emotional and personal consequences of the attacks. Brand was also ordered to remain on the sex offenders register for life.
These convictions are legally separate from Latter's allegation, which remains under investigation. Her account was not tested during the trial, and the verdict does not determine whether her allegation is true. That distinction remains essential when reporting on the two matters.
Latter's decision to speak publicly has nevertheless brought her proposed legal changes into a national debate. Police continue investigating her allegation, while government officials consider whether the existing age of consent framework provides adequate protections. No timetable has been announced for either a charging decision or a formal legislative proposal.