Two teenage boys who initially walked free after being convicted of raping two girls in Fordingbridge have been sentenced to four years in detention. The Court of Appeal ruled their original sentences were 'unduly lenient' following nationwide outrage.
Original sentences sparked public fury
Three boys, two aged 15 and one aged 14, were originally spared any custodial sentence at Southampton Crown Court, receiving youth rehabilitation orders instead. Judge Nicholas Rowland acknowledged their offences—totalling 10 counts of rape and seven indecent image offences—'crossed the custody threshold,' but said he wanted to 'avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily.'
The decision sparked public outrage. One victim stated she does not think 'she will ever be the same,' while the other said: 'I am the one being punished.' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the case as 'appalling' and escalated it to the Court of Appeal.
Court of Appeal decision
Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr announced the revised sentences for the two 15-year-old boys, ordering them into detention for four years. The sentence of the 14-year-old boy, who encouraged one of the rapes, remained unchanged. Baroness Carr said: 'We have decided that we do need to change your sentences and both of you do need to go into detention. What you did was so bad that we have no other choice.'
Tom Little KC, representing the Attorney General, argued that Judge Rowland's sentencing remarks were 'entirely lop-sided,' with more weight given to the offenders than the victims. He noted the word 'rape' was not mentioned in the original remarks, and the impact on victims received only a line and a half each.
Victim impact and evidence
Mr Little contended the judge 'failed to grapple with the seriousness of the offending' and was wrong to conclude neither victim suffered severe psychological harm. The court heard the perpetrators recorded the attacks on their phones, laughing while outnumbering their 'cornered and petrified' victims.
One victim, identified as Jazmine, described her trauma: 'When I gave evidence, I was questioned in detail about what I apparently did. I was asked why I had two hands around the perpetrator's penis. It was implied that I wanted it. I cannot explain how humiliating and painful that was. I was 15 years old. I am a child who has been raped. I felt like I was being treated like I had done something wrong.'
Broader context and campaign
The Attorney General argued that previous sexual activity of the survivors had swayed the judge's decision, described as a 'significantly outdated approach.' The case highlights ongoing concerns about how the justice system handles violence against women and girls. Metro's 'This Is Not Right' campaign, launched in November 2024, aims to address this national emergency in partnership with Women's Aid.
