Mia Latter, a woman who previously accused Russell Brand of sexual abuse when she was a teenager, has waived her right to lifelong anonymity and is speaking publicly about her allegations against the actor-comedian as she campaigns for changes to the United Kingdom’s age of consent laws.
Latter, now 37, alleged that Brand orally raped her when she was 16 and he was 30. She had previously been identified only as “Alice” in a 2023 investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s “Dispatches,” which examined allegations of sexual misconduct by Brand.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Latter said she wants the U.K. to introduce a staggered age of consent that would prohibit adults from having sexual relationships with 16- and 17-year-olds. The country’s current age of consent is 16, regardless of the age of the other person, although additional legal protections apply to minors.
Latter said she decided to make her identity public in the hope that her experience could help protect other teenagers from grooming and exploitation.
She alleged that she first encountered Brand in 2006 in London’s Leicester Square while returning home after doing some shopping. Brand, who was working for MTV at the time, approached her, took her phone number and later contacted her about going to dinner. Latter said she disclosed that she was 16 before they began seeing each other, but he continued pursuing the relationship.
According to Latter, Brand subsequently instructed her to keep their relationship a secret, although members of his entourage were aware of it. She alleged that he referred to her as “the child” in front of them and sexually assaulted her toward the end of their approximately three-month relationship.
“He ended up forcing me against the headboard [of the bed] and I couldn’t move, and he orally raped me — and I was choking and crying,” she alleged.
Latter reported the alleged rape to London’s Metropolitan Police following the 2023 investigation. Brand denied those allegations. However, her allegations were not included in the criminal case that recently resulted in Brand’s conviction.
She told The Sunday Times that investigators had initially discussed the possibility of her participating in a subsequent trial. Latter said she was devastated when she learned she would not be included in the October proceedings, alleging that the decision was made after Brand’s interview with Megyn Kelly.
Brand appeared on “The Megyn Kelly Show” in April and in the interview acknowledged that he had slept with a 16-year-old when he was 30. He described himself at the time as an “immature 30-year-old” and discussed the power imbalance that can exist when a famous adult has a sexual relationship with someone younger.
Although Latter had initially been prepared to participate in further criminal proceedings, she has since decided not to continue with that process, choosing instead to focus on advocating for legislative changes.
She argues that raising the age threshold for relationships involving significantly older adults would provide young people with additional protections and make it easier for families to intervene.
On Nov. 9, Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault involving four women.
