The laws around the age of consent could be changed following sexual exploitation scandals around Russell Brand and David Walliams, according to a report.
Ministers are proposing a “staggered” law on sexual consent, meaning adults above a certain age would not be permitted to have sex with children aged 16 and 17, The Sunday Times reported.
Louise Haigh, the chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster and effective deputy prime minister, also wants to see a ban of the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) used to silence those who allege sexual abuse, especially against powerful people.
Ms Haigh told the outlet: “It clearly would be a massive step to change the age of consent, but it deserves proper consideration and scrutiny.” The age of consent was put at 16 in 1885 by the Criminal Law Amendment Act.
The proposals came from Mia Latter, 37, a woman who had relations with convicted rapist Russell Brand, 51, when she was a 16-year-old girl and he was 30.
Having previously been named as ‘Alice’ in a 2023 investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches, Ms Latter waived her right to anonymity this weekend.
“I can absolutely understand why she is calling for it,” Ms Haigh added.
“It is heartbreaking to hear Mia’s story,” Ms Haigh 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.”
Brand was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison on Monday following convictions on one count of rape and three sexual assaults the previous week.
Ms Haigh described it as “unthinkable” for a 30-year-old to have sexual relations with someone aged 16.
The calls intensified after allegations were published against 55-year-old comedian David Walliams, who is accused of using his position in power as a celebrity to pursue sexual relations with girls as young as 15 years old. The allegations were exposed earlier this week despite an attempt by Walliams to have them stifled by an injunction.
Walliams denies any wrongdoing but admitted to the Guardian that he “behaved thoughtlessly”.
An NDA was reported to have been used to silence one woman connected to Walliams.
Ms Haigh said there is a “very strong case to look at banning NDAs in all circumstances where they relate to harassment or discrimination to make sure that no victim, regardless of where it happened or what their relationship was with the perpetrator, should ever be silenced.”
She added: “These cases really grab the nation’s attention and people think it is rife but quite limited to high-profile cases and the entertainment and cultural industries but actually it is happening everywhere.”
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