Image source, Getty ImagesTwo boys convicted of raping two teenage girls in Fordingbridge, Hampshire have been given four years’ detention after their non-custodial sentences were overturned at the Court of Appeal.
Lady Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr said the court had “no other choice but to change these sentences” when she addressed the boys, who joined the hearing via a video link from Southampton Crown Court.
She said the court had concluded that trial judge, Judge Nicholas Rowland, had “erred in his assessment of the seriousness of the offences”.
In a statement read out after the hearing, the family of one of the victims said “justice has finally been done”.
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A third boy who was also convicted of rape for his part in filming one of the attacks did not have his sentence changed.
The initial sentences were referred to the court after they were called “unduly lenient” by Attorney General Lord Hermer.
All the children in the case have been granted anonymity because of their young age – with the offenders referred to as X, Y and Z.
Delivering the courts conclusions, Carr said “sentences of detention for X and Y were unavoidable”.
“You both raped two girls on two different occasions. You were enjoying it and egging each other on. You made it worse by filming it,” she told them.
Carr made it clear that had the boys been adults, then sentences in excess of 10 years would have been required.
She said that both boys have already served 231 days on curfew which will count towards their sentence, meaning they will “not stay in detention” for the full four years.
The pair were also handed a lifelong restraining order prohibiting them from contacting the victims.
It is understood that the offenders will appeal the court’s updated sentencing.
When addressing Z, Carr said: “What you did was also very bad.
“We have decided that because you were very young … we do not need to change your sentence.”
Image source, Crown Prosecution ServiceIn a statement read out by barrister Charlotte Proudman following the appeal court ruling, the family of victim C1 – who has been referred to as Jazmine (not her real name) – said that they had lived through “a nightmare that no family should ever have to endure”.
They added: “Today’s judgement cannot erase what our daughter has suffered but it does acknowledge the seriousness of these offences.”
She also read the words of Jazmine, who said: “I feel like I am the one who has been sentenced, I feel like I am the one living in a prison even though I did nothing wrong.”
“What happened to me has left me harmed so severely that I do not think I will ever be the same,” she said.
The statement continued: “We also wish to thank Laura Kuennesburg and the BBC for giving us a platform to be heard. Attorney general Lord Hermer for swiftly recognising the need for this appeal.”
Jazmine’s family have set up the Stronger Than Silence Foundation – a charity providing support to survivors of sexual violence and their families.
In a statement, the family of the victim C2 said the original sentences had been “devastating”.
“[They] left us feeling that the harm caused to our daughter had not been fully recognised.
“While no sentence can undo the trauma she has endured, today’s decision gives us a greater sense that justice has been served and that those responsible have been held properly accountable.
“We are immensely proud of our daughter’s courage and strength throughout this long and difficult process.”
Warning: This story contains details some may find distressing
At the time of the rapes, X and Y were 14 and Z was 13. They were convicted of 10 rape offences between them.
When Judge Nicholas Rowland passed the initial sentences at Southampton Crown Court in May, there was an outcry from the girls and their families as well as from politicians. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described it as “an appalling case”.
In her statement, Carr said Rowland had carried out a “careful sentencing exercise” but the non-custodial sentences for X and Y were “unduly lenient” as they did not take full account of the psychological harm caused to both victims.
Rowland had given X and Y three-year Youth Rehabilitation Orders (YRO) with 180 days of intensive surveillance and supervision.
Z, now 14, was given an 18-month YRO.
All three boys were also made subject to a three-month curfew and given a restraining order for 10 years not to contact their victims.
One of the girls – C1 – was 15 when she was raped by X and Y in November 2024 at an underpass near a river in Fordingbridge after first engaging in some consensual sexual activity with X. Parts of the rape were filmed.
The second girl – C2, who was 14 – was raped by X and Y in January 2025 in a recreation ground in Fordingbridge. Again there had been some consensual sexual activity before the rape began and, again, parts of the rape were filmed, this time by boy Z.
During the appeal hearing, the Lady Chief Justice Sue Carr criticised the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for putting out an inaccurate press release suggesting a knife was involved in the rapes.
‘Powerful voices’
Also welcoming the Court of Appeal decision, Attorney General Richard Hermer KC, said: “No one should have to endure what the victims went through, and I commend their bravery in coming forward and campaigning for justice.
“This government will continue to do everything it can to tackle violence against women and girls.”
The police and crime commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Donna Jones, said the ruling “represents an important acknowledgement of the seriousness and impact of these truly appalling crimes”.
“This outcome feels like a step towards restoring that balance.
“The girls can now start to rebuild their lives in the knowledge these young men are in detention. Life-long restraining orders should also offer them some comfort. Their futures and their road to recovery is, and always should be, central to criminal justice.
“Their powerful voices have helped ensure that this case received the attention and scrutiny it deserved,” she added.
If you are affected by any issues raised in this story, support can be found at BBC Action Line.
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