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Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing.
Victim speaks out after attackers spared jail
A 16-year-old girl who was raped by two teenage boys has told the BBC that a judge's decision to avoid prison sentences left her feeling as if she had been hit "with a rock straight in my face."
The girl, whose identity remains protected, questioned the purpose of enduring a traumatic trial if the outcome made the crime seem "OK in the eyes of the law." She spoke exclusively to BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg alongside her family.
The attacks
The teenager was 15 when she was raped in an underpass near the River Avon in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024. She had traveled to meet one of the boys for the first time after he initiated contact with her on Snapchat.
The two defendants, now 15, were also convicted of raping a second victim in a field in January 2025. A third boy, now 14, was found guilty of aiding the second attack. All three filmed the assaults on their phones and later shared some of the footage online.
Judge's ruling sparks outrage
At Southampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Rowland acknowledged the "seriousness" of the crimes, particularly the filming of the assaults, which he called "even more serious." However, he emphasized his desire to avoid "criminalising" the "very young" defendants and praised their behavior during the trial.
The girl's family described the sentences as a "slap on the wrist." Her mother's partner, who was present in court, said he felt "physically sick" upon hearing the decision, adding that it appeared the perpetrators had "got away scot-free" while the victims continued to suffer.
"Why did I sit and put myself through the pain of going to court, reliving everything because of evidence and watching it all happen again? It sort of gave me a sense of what's the point... what was the point in putting me through that just to say that it's fine?"
The 16-year-old victim
Sentences under review
The Attorney General's office has 28 days to determine whether the sentences should be referred to the Court of Appeal for reconsideration. A government spokesperson expressed shock at the case's details and confirmed that the Law Officers were reviewing it "with the utmost care and attention."
The two 15-year-olds each received a three-year youth rehabilitation order (YRO) with 180 days of intensive supervision and surveillance. One was sentenced for the rape of both victims and two indecent images charges, while the other faced three rape charges per victim and four counts of taking indecent images. The 14-year-old received an 18-month YRO for encouraging one of the defendants during the January 2025 attack.
Family's plea to authorities
The victim's mother directly appealed to the prime minister, asking: "If it was your daughter, your niece, your son, your nephew, your family member, would you be happy? Because we're not happy, and I don't think any other member of the public will be happy too. So you're in a position of power to help, so please help."
