UK to consider changing age of consent after Brand case, Walliams claims

Résumé détaillé

It comes after one of Russell Brand’s accusers waived her right to anonymity to call for it to be a criminal offence for a man over the age of 30 to have sex with a girl under 18.

The move also follows allegations against Little Britain comedian and children’s book author David Walliams, who is accused of preying on teenagers and young women. He denies the claims and is facing a police investigation.

The cabinet discussion heightens the national debate over predatory conduct after one of Brand’s accusers called for the law to be changed to make it a criminal offence for a man over 30 to have sex with a girl under the age of 18.

Work and Pensions Minister Pat McFadden confirmed that the issue would be discussed in cabinet given the concerns about the treatment of women.

“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 in that,” he told Sky News on Sunday (UK time).

“We probably will consider it, but I can’t give you a result of that at the moment. What we will definitely do is think about whatever we can do to help people at the wrong end of these abuses of power.”

Asked about the issue on the BBC on Sunday, he said: “It’s certainly a question that has been raised and will be discussed.”

The government has already pledged to change the law on non-disclosure agreements after some of Walliams’ accusers said they had received threatening legal letters that stopped them warning others about him.

Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones said last week it “should not be possible” for people in positions of power to use injunctions or NDAs to prevent people going public to reveal abuse.

Brand was sentenced to nine years in prison after a jury found him guilty of raping a 21-year-old woman at his home in 2009, when he was 34. The woman told Southwark Crown Court that they had begun having consensual sex but that he had “flipped” her over and anally raped her despite her telling him to stop.

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