Rape case in which teenage boys spared jail 'appalling', PM says

Sir Keir Starmer has said a rape case in which two teenage boys were spared jail is "appalling" and it's "right that law officers are urgently reviewing the sentences".

Responding to an interview with one of the victims, the prime minister said on social media: "This is a harrowing and brave testimony.

"The girls at the heart of this case have shown extraordinary bravery and strength in heinous circumstances.

"This is an appalling case and it is right that law officers are urgently reviewing the sentences."

Two girls were raped in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, by two 15-year-old boys who were given non-custodial sentences.

The judge said he wanted to "avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily" and gave them youth rehabilitation orders (YRO) and intensive supervision and surveillance (ISS).

The attorney general is reviewing the case and could refer it to the Court of Appeal, who might then choose to change the sentences, if they feel they are unduly lenient.

The boys recorded the rapes - in November 2024 and January 2025 - and shared some of the footage, Southampton Crown Court heard.

One of the victims told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg programme she was devastated by the sentence.

"The words hit like a rock straight in my face," she said.

"He [the judge] almost made it seem as if what they boys did was not OK, but it was OK in the eyes of the law because they were still children."

The sentences have been criticised across the political spectrum.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch called it a "disgrace", while Reform's Robert Jenrick said the judge had made a "very bad error".

The prime minister's comments come after the girl's mother appealed to him directly in the BBC interview.

"If it was your daughter, your niece, your son, your nephew, your family member, would you be happy?" she said.

"Because we're not happy and I don't think any other member of the public will be happy too. So you're in a position of power to help, so please help."

Read more from Sky News:
British man killed while fighting alongside Ukraine troops
EasyJet diverts flight over power bank in luggage

Explaining how judges make sentencing decisions regarding child offenders, former Old Bailey judge Wendy Joseph told Sky News: "There is a principle when you're dealing with these offences with children, the welfare of the child is a priority.

"The importance of stopping them re-offending should be at the forefront of [the judge's] mind."

"However, there's a but and it's a really big but," she continued. "The but is that at the same time, the judge must try to balance out the position of the victims and the public by looking at the seriousness of the offence and the harm that's been caused."

Judge Nicholas Rowland praised the girls' "bravery" for giving evidence, but told the two young rapists: "I have to remember that you are not small adults.

"I have to think how likely you are to do serious things again and I need to make sure you do not do serious things again in the future."

He also said "peer pressure" had played a large part in their actions.

The court heard one had ADHD and "long-standing anxiety", while the other also had an ADHD diagnosis and an IQ in the "bottom 1%".

A third boy,14, described as having "mild cognitive impairment", was also given a YRO over encouraging one of the others during the second rape.

(c) Sky News 2026: Rape case in which teenage boys spared jail 'appalling', PM says