Court of Appeal hears challenge to sentences for teenage rapists
The Court of Appeal is hearing a challenge to community sentences given to three teenage boys convicted of raping two girls in Hampshire, with arguments over leniency.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The Court of Appeal has heard arguments in a challenge to community sentences given to three teenage boys convicted of raping two girls in Hampshire. The case has sparked public outrage and prompted the Prime Minister to call for a review of the sentences, which began today.
The attacks took place by the River Avon. In both incidents, the girls had consented to some sexual activity but it went far beyond what they were comfortable with, and the assaults were filmed. The original judge decided not to send the boys to prison, saying he did not want to "unnecessarily criminalise" them, and instead ordered them to youth rehabilitation.
Lawyers for the boys defended the sentences, arguing that custodial sentences for offenders under 14 should be reserved for repeat offenders or used only as a last resort. They highlighted that one of the boys has mental health issues. However, Tom Little Casey, representing the Attorney General, told the court that the sentencing judge had misapplied the relevant principles and made a number of errors, the cumulative effect of which led to unduly lenient sentences.
The public outcry may have been partly fueled by a mistake made by the Crown Prosecution Service. In a press release, the CPS implied that a knife was involved in one of the attacks, though the facts remain that both girls were raped. In a statement, one of the victims said she carries what happened with her every day and will never be the same.
Former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said the outcome of the appeal will be very important for future cases. She noted that this case does not sit alone and that the Ministry of Justice needs to urgently review its approach to youth justice, particularly regarding sexual violence, at a time when the age of child sex abusers is falling every year.
The three boys will learn their fate tomorrow afternoon when the appeal judges deliver their decision.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| Court of Appeal hears challenge to community sentences for three teenage boys convicted of rape in Hampshire. | |
| Crown Prosecution Service made a mistake in a press release, implying a knife was involved in one of the attacks. | |
| Original judge stated he did not want to unnecessarily criminalise the boys and sentenced them to youth rehab. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel focused on the public outcry and political intervention, highlighting the Prime Minister's involvement and the CPS mistake that may have fueled anger. It also gave significant weight to the broader implications for youth justice, including comments from former minister Jess Phillips. The tone was factual but underscored the emotional weight of the victims' statements.
- “Well, a judge decided not to send them to jail, which caused public outcry and prompted the Prime Minister to step in.”
- “But Tom Little Casey, who's representing the Attorney General, who brought this to the Court of Appeal, said that the sentencing judge got this all wrong.”
- “This case does not sit alone. There are lots and lots of cases like this, and so the Ministry of Justice need to very, very quickly look at what they are doing in youth justice, specifically on sexual violence.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.