Outrage has erupted in the UK after a judge spared two teenage boys from jail time for rape. The victim, now 16, described the decision to the BBC as feeling like a "rock straight in my face." She questioned the purpose of the arduous trial process if the perpetrators were not held to a custodial sentence.The Attorney General is now reviewing the sentence.
The victim, who testified anonymously, expressed that the ruling implied the boys` actions were acceptable in the eyes of the law because of their age. The assault occurred in an underpass beside the River Avon in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, when the victim was 15. She had traveled to meet one of the boys for the first time after communicating via Snapchat.
Judge Nicholas Rowland presided over the hearing at Southampton Crown Court, where he emphasized the seriousness of the crimes but expressed a desire to avoid criminalizing the "very young" defendants. Instead of prison, the two 15-year-old defendants received three-year youth rehabilitation orders (YRO) with intensive supervision. A third boy, aged 14, received an 18-month YRO for his involvement. The defendants had filmed the attacks and shared footage online, a detail the judge acknowledged as exacerbating the offense.
The Attorney General has 28 days to decide whether to refer the sentences to the Court of Appeal. Cabinet minister Darren Jones addressed the situation, stating that the government is treating the case with urgency and that the victims deserve justice. He added that the public`s shock reflects the severity of the incident.
The victim`s mother made a direct plea to the Prime Minister for intervention. She expressed deep disappointment, noting that the perpetrators appeared to have escaped significant consequences.
