Government to Review Sentences for Three Teenagers Convicted of Rape

The government announced it will review the sentences given to three teenage boys convicted of raping two girls in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. The boys, two aged 15 and one aged 14, received youth rehabilitation orders after being found guilty in March at Southampton Crown Court.

Prosecutors stated the assaults, which occurred in 2024 and 2025, were filmed on phones and that some footage was later shared online. The first victim, aged 15, was raped three times in an underpass beside the River Avon after meeting one of the boys through Snapchat.

The second victim, aged 14, was raped repeatedly in a field near Fordingbridge Recreation Ground.

Rowland imposed the youth rehabilitation orders, citing the boys' young age. The two older boys were also placed under intensive supervision and surveillance. A government spokesperson said the Law Officers are reviewing the case with urgency. The Attorney General and Solicitor General have up to 28 days to decide whether to refer the sentences to the Court of Appeal.

Under the unduly lenient sentence scheme, members of the public can request such reviews for serious offences.

Office minister Jess Phillips said the sentences send a bad message and offered to help the victims' families seek a review. Conservative shadow Justice Minister Dr Kieran Mullan said the sentences were too lenient and that the boys should not have avoided prison.

Victim impact statements described ongoing trauma, including nightmares and feelings of shame. One victim read a poem in court stating she no longer feared death. Hampshire Police said it is liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service regarding the sentences.