She was 16, so yeah, he’s right: he was banging a child.
Even if he isn’t convicted of the others (one was treated at a clinic after the assault) dating a 16 year old when you’re 30 is gonna get you some time.
Assuming this is all true (I do believe them, but it’s up to judge/jury to decide) but he somehow manages to get out of this, his reputation is in the toilet
Yeah - if your defence is “well it’s not illegal, soooooo…” it’s a pretty safe bet you’re being a piece of shit.
The thing is, if this happens 4 times, most likely there are more who might speak up. The thing with these victims, in many cases, they think they are the only one. Knowing there might be others, would increase the chances of them to go public with their experience which might be even worse.
Ya’ll motherfuckers need Romeo and Juliet laws. Age of consent at 14-16 isn’t a horrid idea, but slap a “within 5 years of the age of the oldest companion” and you fix Richard Brand grooming a fucking child.
16 is above the age of consent in the UK as far as I know, so the issue wouldn’t be the dating of a sixteen year old, it’d be the apparent rampant rapes and assaults regardless of age.
Not to dog on the UK but maybe they should raise that a little, it’s incredibly easy for an adult to take advantage of a 16 year old, not even just sexually.