Arabic version: جيس فيليبس تنتقد الأحكام المخففة لمغتصبي المراهقين

Former Home Office minister Jess Phillips has condemned the “unduly lenient” non-custodial sentences of three teenage boys who raped two girls in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. According to BBC News, Phillips expressed her willingness to assist the victims’ families in seeking a review of the judgments.

The assaults, which took place in 2024 and 2025, were reportedly filmed by the boys, who were seen laughing and encouraging each other during the attacks. The footage was later shared online. The three boys, two aged 15 and one aged 14, received youth rehabilitation orders and the two older ones were also made subject to intensive supervision and surveillance.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Phillips highlighted the challenges faced by the victims in pursuing justice and criticized the message such lenient sentences convey. She emphasized the role of social media in influencing young boys, stating that the offenders appeared to be “raping for content” to share with their peers.

Judge Nicholas Rowland, who presided over the sentencing at Southampton Crown Court, acknowledged the seriousness of the crimes but opted against imprisonment, citing the boys’ very young ages. He noted that the filming of the assaults added gravity to the offenses, yet he felt that incarceration was unnecessary.

Phillips argued that while rehabilitation is important, it should occur within the youth justice system. She asserted that the influence of social media on young people’s behavior, particularly regarding misogyny, has been largely overlooked. Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones also remarked that the sentences provide little solace to the victims involved.