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Detention ‘only appropriate sentence’ for teenage rapists, Court of Appeal told By PA News Published: 10:34, 01 July 2026 | Updated: 12:10, 01 July 2026 The bid to have the boys’ sentences increased is being heard at the Royal Courts of Justice (Andrew Matthews/PA) Detention was the “only appropriate sentence” for three teenage boys who were spared custody over the rape of two girls, the Court of Appeal has been told. Two boys aged 15, known as X and Y, and another aged 14, known as Z, were given non-custodial sentences in May for a combined 10 counts of rape and seven indecent image offences related to two victims, who were separately attacked in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January 2025. The two older boys were involved in both attacks, while the 14-year-old encouraged the rape of the second victim. Sentencing them at Southampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Rowland said the offences of the two 15-year-olds “crossed the custody threshold”, but he should “avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily” and added that detention was a “last resort”. It is submitted that the extent and nature of the offending was so serious such that the only appropriate sentence f…

Boys spared custody over horror rapes of two girls in Fordingbridge ... Boys spared custody over horror rapes of two girls in Fordingbridge sentenced to detention The case was reviewed under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme after the boys were given youth rehabilitation orders by a judge who said he wanted to 'avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily' News Tom Pettifor Crime Editor 14:12, 02 Jul 2026 Updated 19:17, 02 Jul 2026 View 3 Images Judges have reviewed the case at the Court of Appeal in London (Image: PA) Two boys spared custody for rape have today been locked up for four years after their sentences were found to be "unduly lenient" by the Court of Appeal. The 15-year-olds, known as X and Y, were originally given youth rehabilitation orders (YRO) and put on a supervision programme by a judge in May, over the rape of two girls in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire in November 2024 and January 2025. A third boy, 14, and known as Z, was also given a YRO for encouraging one of the offenders - and for an indecent images offence - over the January attack. One victim was raped three times. The boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, shared videos of the …

Decision not to jail two teenagers for rape was wrong, court of appeal rules <p>Trial judge found to have erred by giving boys youth rehabilitation orders for rape of two girls in Hampshire</p><p>A judge’s decision not to give two teenage boys custodial sentences for the rape of two girls was wrong s, the court of appeal has ruled.</p><p>After a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/24/uk-judge-decision-rape-girls-hampshire">national outcry</a>, the attorney general, Richard Hermer, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/may/26/court-of-appeal-to-review-sentences-of-teenage-boys">referred the case</a> to the court to consider whether the sentences given to the boys – identified only as X, Y and Z – were unduly lenient.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/02/decision-not-to-jail-three-teenagers-for-was-wrong-court-of-appeal-rules">Continue reading...</a>

Detention ‘only appropriate sentence’ for teenage rapists, Court of Appeal told By PA News Agency Share 0 Comments The bid to have the boys’ sentences increased is being heard at the Royal Courts of Justice (Andrew Matthews/PA) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Detention was the “only appropriate sentence” for three teenage boys who were spared custody over the rape of two girls, the Court of Appeal has been told. Two boys aged 15, known as X and Y, and another aged 14, known as Z, were given non-custodial sentences in May for a combined 10 counts of rape and seven indecent image offences related to two victims, who were separately attacked in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January 2025. The two older boys were involved in both attacks, while the 14-year-old encouraged the rape of the second victim. Sentencing them at Southampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Rowland said the offences of the two 15-year-olds “crossed the custody threshold”, but he should “avoid criminalising thes…

UK teen rapists get detention after outrage at lenient sentences Two British teenagers convicted of rape must serve time in custody, an appeal judge ruled on Thursday, after a public outcry over a judge’s decision to spare them detention. Lower court judge Nicholas Rowland in May sentenced the two 15-year-old boys to three-year youth rehabilitation orders, saying he wanted to “avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily”. However, the sentences provoked a severe backlash, prompting Attorney General Richard Hermer – the government’s chief legal adviser –...

Two teenage boys given custodial sentences after Attorney General ... Two teenage boys who raped two girls and filmed their crimes in Fordingbridge will now spend time in custody after the Attorney General referred their sentences to the Court of Appeal. Two teenagers responsible for raping two girls, across two separate incidents, and filming the abuse had their sentences increased to four years detention and indefinite restraining orders (preventing them from contacting the victims), after Attorney General Richard Hermer KC referred their case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The third teenagers’ sentence was left unchanged. The court heard that on 26 November 2024, one victim, a 15-year-old girl was led to an underpass in Fordingbridge, after arranging to meet one of the offenders. Two others attended without her prior knowledge. She was then raped by two of the offenders, while a third watched. The attack was filmed and the footage later shared online. The victim was threatened and told not to report the abuse. All three offenders were convicted of the rape of a second victim, a 14-year-old girl, on 17 January 2025. The attack was again film…

Detention ‘only appropriate sentence’ for teenage rapists, Court of Appeal told By PA News Agency Share 0 Comments 4 Skip to next photo 1 / 1 Show caption 1 / 1 0 Comments This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Detention was the “only appropriate sentence” for three teenage boys who were spared custody over the rape of two girls, the Court of Appeal has been told. Two boys aged 15, known as X and Y, and another aged 14, known as Z, were given non-custodial sentences in May for a combined 10 counts of rape and seven indecent image offences related to two victims, who were separately attacked in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January 2025. The two older boys were involved in both attacks, while the 14-year-old encouraged the rape of the second victim. Sentencing them at Southampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Rowland said the offences of the two 15-year-olds “crossed the custody threshold”, but he should “avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily” and added that detention was a…

Court of appeal to review rape sentences of teenage boys <p>Keir Starmer announces review after three boys were given youth rehabilitation orders for rape of two girls</p><p>The court of appeal will review the non-custodial sentences given to three teenage boys for the rape of two girls, Keir Starmer has announced.</p><p>The boys, two of whom were 15 and one aged 14 at the time of sentencing, were given youth rehabilitation orders after the judge in the case said he wanted to “avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily” and support their reintegration into society.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/may/26/court-of-appeal-to-review-sentences-of-teenage-boys">Continue reading...</a>

Two teens who were spared custody over rape of 2 girls sentenced to ... Two teens have been sentenced to four years' detention (Image: PA) Two 15-year-old boys who were spared custody for the rape of two girls in Fordingbridge have been sentenced to four years’ detention after the Court of Appeal ruled their sentences were “unduly lenient”. The 15-year-olds, known as X and Y as they cannot be named due to their age, were given in May youth rehabilitation orders (YRO) and put on a supervision programme, over the rape of two girls in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January 2025. A third boy, aged 14, known as Z, was also given a YRO for encouraging one of the offenders - and for an indecent images offence - over the January attack. The judge handing down the sentence in May at Southampton Crown Court said he should “avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily” and that detention was a “last resort”. However, the Attorney General referred the sentences to the Court of Appeal as “unduly lenient” days later. During a hearing on Wednesday, lawyers for the Attorney General said detention was the “only appropriate sentence”, while barristers for the…

Three teenage travellers who avoided jail for raping two lone ... ByELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published:08:01 EDT, 22 May 2026|Updated:11:54 EDT, 22 May 2026 853 Viewcomments Three teenage boys who were spared jail for raping two lone schoolgirls will have their sentences reviewed amidst claims they were 'unduly lenient'. It is understood that the Attorney General's office has received multiple requests for the sentences to be reviewed by the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Lord Hermer will now consider the case and could send it back to court, which could decide to increase the sentences and send the boys to prison. It comes after a judge sparked outrage yesterday by praising the teens for their conduct at trial and handing them youth rehabilitation orders, despite the two callous attacks which saw them take turns raping the girls while filming it. Two of the boys were 14 when they carried out the assaults in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, just weeks apart in 2024 and 2025. The third was 13 when he aided and abetted the rape of the second girl. The second attack saw their victim gang-raped at knifepoint, while the boys, who are all from t…