UK teen rapists get detention after outrage at lenient sentences

An appeal judge in London ruled on Thursday that two 15-year-old boys convicted of rape must serve time in custody. This decision followed a public outcry over a lower court judge's May ruling, which sentenced the teenagers to three-year youth rehabilitation orders. The initial judge, Nicholas Rowland, stated his intention was to "avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily." However, the sentences were met with severe backlash, leading Attorney General Richard Hermer to refer the case to the Court of Appeal as potentially "unduly lenient." The appeal judge's ruling overturned the original decision, mandating detention for the convicted youths.

Two 15-year-old boys, identified as X and Y, have been sentenced to four years' detention after the court of appeal ruled their initial sentences were "unduly lenient". The boys had previously been given three-year youth rehabilitation orders for raping two girls in separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. A third boy, Z, aged 13 at the time, was not given a new sentence due to his age and involvement in only one offense. The court of appeal ruled that X and Y's sentences were too light because they repeated their behavior after the first incident and did it again to a different person. The Attorney General, Richard Hermer, had referred the case to the court to consider whether the sentences given were too lenient. The families of the victims expressed relief and gratitude for the court's decision.