Two 15-year-old boys who were originally spared custody for the rape of two girls in Fordingbridge have been sentenced to four years’ detention after the Court of Appeal ruled their initial sentences were “unduly lenient”. The Attorney General referred the cases to the Court of Appeal shortly after the original sentencing in May.
Details of the crimes
The boys, identified as X and Y, along with a third boy aged 14 known as Z, were convicted of a total of 10 counts of rape and seven indecent image offences. The offences involved two victims who were separately attacked in the Hampshire town in November 2024 and January 2025. X and Y were involved in both attacks, while Z encouraged the rape of the second victim.
Original sentencing and referral
In May, a judge at Southampton Crown Court imposed non-custodial sentences, stating he should “avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily” and that detention was a “last resort”. However, the Attorney General referred the sentences to the Court of Appeal as “unduly lenient” days later.
Appeal hearing
At a hearing on Wednesday, lawyers for the Attorney General argued that detention was the “only appropriate sentence”. In contrast, barristers for the boys maintained that the original sentences were correct and focused on rehabilitation. On Thursday, the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Edis, and Ms Justice Norton delivered their judgment.
Court of Appeal decision
Reading a summary of their judgment to X and Y, who appeared via video link from Southampton Crown Court, Baroness Carr said: “We have decided that we do need to change your sentences and both of you do need to go into detention.” She added: “What you did was so bad that we have no other choice.” Addressing Z, who also attended via video link, she said: “We have decided that because you were very young and find some things really very difficult to understand, and because you were only involved on one occasion, we do not need to change your sentence.” The court sentenced X and Y to four years’ detention, while Z’s non-custodial sentence remained unchanged.
