Journalist at HLN
Source: Belga
It’s certainly shocking. Two girls, then aged 15 and 14, were raped by two then 14-year-old boys in two separate incidents in November 2024 and January 2025. The common thread of the horror in Fordingbridge, Hampshire: the two boys lured their victims into a trap and took turns raping the girls. They filmed everything with their phones and shared images of the rapes online.
The two perpetrators, 15 years old today, were not sentenced to prison last week, but were given a Youth Rehabilitation Order. That is a kind of community service for children and can include unpaid work, a curfew or the obligation to undergo treatment.
“Like a stone in the face”
The judge justified his decision by saying that he wanted to prevent “these children from being unnecessarily criminalized.” One of the victims told the BBC that the verdict felt “like a stone in the face”. There was also great anger and indignation elsewhere.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer points out that the Attorney General has the power to refer the case to the Court of Appeal if he believes the sentence is too lenient. That has now happened, according to the Prime Minister. “Which is clearly the right decision,” he adds.
Attorney General Richard Hermer said there has been “understandably tremendous public interest and concern over this horrific case.” “There is an epidemic of violence against women and girls in this country, and this government will not hesitate to take action to ensure women and girls feel safe and have confidence in justice.”
