Attorney general had 'no doubt' on reviewing teen boys' rape sentences

Attorney general had 'no doubt' on reviewing teen boys' rape sentencesJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleOlivia IrelandWhy did I put myself through the pain of going to court, rape victim tells BBCAttorney General Lord Hermer says he had "no doubt" about referring the case of teenage boys who raped two girls to the Court of Appeal.The three boys were spared custodial sentences over the rapes, sparking backlash, with one girl telling the BBC hearing the sentence was like a "rock in my face".Two girls, then aged 15 and 14, were raped in separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January 2025, by two 14-year-olds. Another boy, then 13, was also convicted for his involvement in the second attack."I was in no doubt that it was a sentence that I felt had to be referred to the Court of Appeal," Lord Hermer told BBC Radio 4's Political Thinking with Nick Robinson podcast.The three boys were given youth rehabilitation orders (YRO) from Judge Nicholas Rowland, who wanted to avoid "criminalising" the "very young" boys and praised them for their behaviour during the trial.The boys, who cannot be named because they are children, had denied the charges but were found guilty in March after a trial at Southampton Crown Court.The Sentencing Council for England and Wales states even in very serious cases courts should prioritise rehabilitation for children and use custody as a last resort. The second girl told BBC Newsnight earlier this week she wanted to "be able to go on a walk without being scared" as her father said the attack caused a "lifelong impact" on his daughter.Lord Hermer said after hearing of the initial sentence for the boys, he "wanted to know the detail as quickly as possible so I could make a decision as quickly as possible" so "uncertainty was not hanging over" the two girls. "As part of my consideration of the case, I...