Three teenage boys have been found not guilty of rape charges in a UK court, in a case that has sparked debate about sentencing for young offenders. The boys, aged 14 and 15 at the time of the offences, were convicted of raping two girls in separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January 2025.
The court heard that in the first attack, a 15-year-old girl was raped by two of the defendants, both aged 14. In the second assault, the three boys threatened a 14-year-old girl with a knife before two of them raped her while the third encouraged the offending and filmed the assaults.
Despite the severity of the crimes, the judge imposed non-custodial sentences. Two 15-year-olds received three-year youth rehabilitation orders with intensive supervision, while the 14-year-old was given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order. Former attorney general Dominic Grieve described the sentences as 'unusual' and suggested the attorney general, Richard Hermer, could be asked to review them.
Barrister Charlotte Proudman criticised the decision, arguing it sends a 'wrong message' to victims of sexual violence. She said the lack of prison time could deter other victims from reporting assaults, as the criminal justice system appears to prioritise offenders' futures over victims' harm.
