.jpg)
.svg)
Two teenage boys have been sentenced to four years in detention after the Court of Appeal overturned their original non-custodial sentences in a high-profile case involving two teenage girls in Fordingbridge, Hampshire.
Lady Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr said the court had no option but to replace the original sentences, concluding that they did not properly reflect the seriousness of the offences or the lasting impact on the victims.
The case was referred to the Court of Appeal after Attorney General Richard Hermer KC argued that the original punishments were unduly lenient. The decision followed widespread public concern over the initial sentencing.
The offenders, who are protected by anonymity because they were minors at the time, are identified only as X, Y and Z. X and Y, who were both 14 when the offences took place, received four-year detention sentences. Z, who was younger and convicted for a separate role in the case, will keep his original sentence.
The court noted that X and Y had previously been given Youth Rehabilitation Orders, curfews and restraining orders. Those sentences have now been replaced with detention, and both boys have also been given lifetime restraining orders preventing them from contacting the victims.
The judges said the original sentencing did not fully consider the long-term emotional and psychological harm experienced by the victims. They also noted that if the offenders had been adults, significantly longer prison terms would likely have been imposed.
During the hearing, Baroness Carr criticized an inaccurate Crown Prosecution Service press release that wrongly suggested a knife had been involved in the case.
Following the ruling, one victim's family said they finally felt justice had been achieved. They said the revised sentence acknowledged the seriousness of what their daughter had experienced, even though it could never undo the harm.
The family has also launched the Stronger Than Silence Foundation, a charity that provides support for survivors of sexual violence and their families.
The second victim's family also welcomed the Court of Appeal's decision, saying it gave them a greater sense that justice had been served and praised their daughter's courage throughout the legal process.
Attorney General Richard Hermer KC commended the victims for their bravery in coming forward and said the government remains committed to tackling violence against women and girls.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones described the ruling as an important acknowledgment of the seriousness of the case. She said the decision allows the victims to move forward knowing those responsible have been held accountable.
The two boys are expected to appeal their revised sentences. All victims and offenders remain anonymous because they were under the age of 18 at the time of the offences.
.jpg)
