A judge's decision not to imprison teenage boys convicted of raping two girls has been described as a "rock straight in my face" by one of the victims, sparking widespread outrage and a review by the attorney general.
Details of the Attacks
Southampton Crown Court heard that two boys, both aged 15 at the time, committed separate rapes against two teenage girls in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. The first attack occurred on 26 November 2024, and the second on 17 January 2025. The boys, whose identities are protected due to their age, received youth rehabilitation orders with intensive supervision and surveillance.
Victim's Reaction
In an interview with the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, one victim, who was 15 during the assault and has since turned 16, expressed her devastation. Speaking anonymously with her family, she questioned the purpose of the trial, stating 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 victim's mother also voiced her frustration, appealing directly to the prime minister: "If it was your daughter, your niece, your son, your nephew, your family member, would you be happy? Because we're not happy, and I don't think any other member of the public will be happy too. So you're in a position of power to help, so please help." The mother's partner added that he felt "physically sick" upon hearing the sentence, saying it seemed the perpetrators had "got away scot-free."
Court Proceedings
Prosecutor Jodie Mittell KC detailed that the first victim met one defendant on Snapchat and visited him in November 2024. She performed sex acts on the then-14-year-old boy, but when the second defendant arrived, she became scared and anxious. The pair then raped her and filmed the incident. The video was later circulated, leading to harassment, including messages calling her a "slag."
The second victim, aged 14 at the time, was raped in a field near Fordingbridge recreation ground in January 2025, with the assault also filmed.
Sentences Handed Down
During the sentencing hearing, a 15-year-old boy received a three-year youth rehabilitation order with 180 days of supervision and surveillance for raping both girls and two charges related to indecent images. A second 15-year-old received the same sentence for three rape charges (against both victims) and four counts of taking indecent images. A third boy, aged 14, was given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order for two rape charges related to the January incident and an indecent images offence.
Judge's Reasoning
The court highlighted the emotional and mental capacities of the defendants. The first 15-year-old had been diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety; the second had an IQ in the "bottom 1% of his contemporaries" and ADHD; the 14-year-old was described as having "mild cognitive impairment." Judge Nicholas Rowland stated: "I have to remember that you are not small adults. I have to think how likely you are to do serious things again and I need to make sure you do not do serious things again in the future." He added that he should avoid criminalising the children unnecessarily and support their reintegration into society, noting that peer pressure played a significant role.
Public and Political Reaction
Donna Jones, Hampshire police and crime commissioner, told the BBC that a custodial sentence would have been appropriate, criticising the judge's praise for the defendants' good conduct post-charge despite not entering guilty pleas. Cabinet minister Darren Jones, appearing tearful on the BBC programme, said the victims deserved justice, though he could not pre-empt the attorney general's review. He emphasised that "those girls deserve justice, as do their families, both for them but also for other girls put in that position – and quite frankly other boys need to know they can't behave in that way and get away with it."
A government spokesperson confirmed that the attorney general's office had received multiple requests for review under the "unduly lenient" scheme, stating: "We share the public's shock at the details of this horrific case, and our thoughts are with the young victims during this distressing time. The law officers are urgently reviewing the case with the utmost care and attention."
