Teenage rapists’ sentences to be reviewed by Court of Appeal after backlash, Starmer says

Sir Keir Starmer has announced that two teenage boys who escaped prison for raping two girls will have their sentences reviewed by the Court of Appeal after the attorney general said they were too lenient.

Two 15-year-old boys were found guilty of raping two girls in separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, but were given non-custodial sentences by a judge at Southampton Crown Court who said he wanted to “avoid unnecessarily criminalizing these children”.

Instead the children were placed on a youth rehabilitation order (YRO) and subjected to intensive supervision and supervision (ISS); This decision was harshly criticized by victims, politicians and campaigners from across the political spectrum.

Saying that he found the case “upsetting as a father”, the prime minister said that Attorney General Richard Hermer reviewed the case and referred it to the Court of Appeal for review. He said the decision was “clearly the right outcome”.

“There are questions about the sentence. If the attorney general thinks that the sentence is too light, the attorney general has the authority to send the case to the court of appeal. The attorney general now uses this authority,” he said.

“I can therefore announce that the case will go to the Court of Appeal… and that is clearly the correct outcome.”

Sir Keir said the case was “truly distressing” and the courage of the girls who came forward to expose the teenagers’ crimes was “humbling”.

“I think this is a really sad case. It’s sad for everyone to see and hear about this. The courage of the girls to come forward is obviously humbling but sad. As a politician, I find it sad. As a father, I also find it sad.”

Former conservation minister Jess Phillips, who left Sir Keir’s government after the local election, said she was “thrilled” by the review of sentences. He said there was a “huge problem” with child sexual abuse being carried out by children in the UK and more needed to be done by parents and the government to prevent it.

“But in this case, I think a deliberate rape by more than one person is inexcusable. There are 11 rapes. It is very clear to everyone in the British public what the outcome of this case should be,” he added.

His comments came after government minister Darren Jones broke down in tears at the weekend as he argued the two girls “deserved justice”.

The Prime Minister’s secretary general became emotional when he heard the testimony of one of the victims on Sunday; In this statement, he said that the judge’s decision not to give prison sentences to his attackers was “like a stone standing in his face”.

Asked for his thoughts on the case, Mr Jones told the BBC: “As a minister I cannot override the attorney general’s decision, but look, you can guess what my personal view is on the situation as a parent and a member of the public.”

Asked what his view was, a visibly emotional Mr Jones said: “These girls, like their families, deserve justice for themselves and the other girls who have been put in this situation.

“And frankly, other kids need to know that they can’t act that way and get away with it.”

Meanwhile, rape victim Gisèle Pelicot said she was “deeply shocked” that the young boys had escaped prison time.

A 73-year-old French woman testified against her husband Dominique Pelicot, who repeatedly drugged her and invited dozens of men to rape her in a case that shocked the world.

Ms Pelicot, who waived her right to anonymity, “saluted the strength” of one of the girls who spoke out after the attack.

To talk BBC BreakfastMs Pelicot said she was “deeply shocked that these individuals were actually able to regain their freedom while the victims suffered so much that they may never recover”.

He added that he hopes his own story “will help him make that decision.”

On Tuesday, Sarah Owen MP, chair of the women and equalities committee, said: Independent “Not only should the harrowing case be reviewed as quickly as possible, but the process that allowed the boys to be found guilty of rape, videotaped and shared, and released with a non-custodial sentence should also be allowed,” he said.

“This is not what justice looks like for victims of rape and sexual assault. Since very few rape cases reach the court, this tolerance also sends a very dangerous message to perpetrators of sexual violence,” he added.

She said it was “heartbreaking” that the girls had to suffer to have a judge who was “more interested in the future of the rapists than the victims.”