The Court of Appeal will review the non-custodial sentences given to three teenage boys for the rape of two girls, following a referral by the Attorney General. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the decision on Tuesday, stating that the sentences raised questions and that the referral was 'clearly the right outcome'.
The boys, two aged 15 and one aged 14 at the time of sentencing, were given youth rehabilitation orders at Southampton Crown Court on 21 May. The judge said he wanted to avoid 'criminalising these children unnecessarily' and support their reintegration into society. One 15-year-old received a three-year order with intensive supervision, while the 14-year-old got an 18-month order.
The sentences prompted public outcry, with MP Jess Phillips calling them 'unduly lenient' and one victim saying the outcome felt like a 'rock straight in my face'. The Attorney General's office received multiple complaints under the unduly lenient sentences scheme. The Prime Minister described the case as 'really distressing' and praised the courage of the victims.
The attacks occurred in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January 2025. In the first, a 15-year-old girl was raped by two of the defendants, then aged 14. In the second, the three boys threatened a 14-year-old girl with a knife, and two raped her while the others encouraged and filmed. The court heard that the defendants had conditions including ADHD and cognitive impairments.
One victim, now 16, told the BBC that the judge's decision 'almost made it seem as if what the boys did was not OK, but it was OK in the eyes of the law because they were still children'. The Hampshire police and crime commissioner, Donna Jones, said the sentences were 'far too lenient'. The Attorney General, Richard Hermer KC, said there is an 'epidemic of violence against women and girls' and that the government will act to ensure confidence in the justice system.
