A judge's decision not to jail teenage boys convicted of raping two girls has been described as a "rock straight in my face" by one of the victims. The two 15-year-old boys were given youth rehabilitation orders with intensive supervision for separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, on 26 November 2024 and 17 January 2025.
The victims, who cannot be named, were 14 and 15 at the time of the assaults. In an interview with the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, one victim, now 16, questioned the purpose of the trial, stating 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." Her mother called on the prime minister to intervene, saying, "If it was your daughter, your niece, your son, your nephew, your family member, would you be happy?" The mother's partner said he felt "physically sick" at the ruling.
Details of the Assaults
The court heard that the first victim visited one of the defendants in November 2024 after meeting on Snapchat. She performed sex acts on the then 14-year-old, but became scared when the second defendant arrived. The pair raped her and filmed the incident. Videos were later shared, leading to harassment with messages calling her a "slag." The second victim, aged 14, was raped in a field near Fordingbridge recreation ground in January, also filmed.
Sentences and Conditions
During sentencing on Thursday, one 15-year-old received a three-year youth rehabilitation order with 180 days of supervision for rape of both girls and indecent images. A second 15-year-old got the same sentence for three rape charges and four counts of indecent images. A 14-year-old was given an 18-month order for two rape charges by encouragement and indecent images. The court noted the boys' emotional and mental capacities, including ADHD, anxiety, low IQ, and mild cognitive impairment.
Judge Nicholas Rowland said, "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 criminalizing children unnecessarily and support their reintegration, noting peer pressure played a large part.
Reactions and Review
Donna Jones, Hampshire police and crime commissioner, told the BBC a custodial sentence would have been appropriate, criticizing the judge's praise for the boys' good conduct after the charge. Cabinet minister Darren Jones said the victims deserve justice, while a government spokesperson confirmed 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."
