Arabic version: الضحية تنتقد حكم القاضي المخفف للمغتصبين المراهقين
A 16-year-old girl, who was raped by two teenage boys, expressed her anguish over a judge’s decision to spare them jail time, describing it as a “rock straight in my face.” In an exclusive interview with the BBC, she questioned the purpose of her ordeal, stating, “What was the point in putting me through that?” The girl, who spoke anonymously, highlighted the troubling message of the ruling, suggesting it implied that the boys’ actions were somewhat acceptable due to their young age.
According to BBC News, the attorney general has announced a review of the sentence handed down by Judge Nicholas Rowland, who had said on Thursday he wanted to avoid “criminalising” the “very young” boys during the sentencing hearing at Southampton Crown Court.
The girl was 15 when she was raped in an underpass by the River Avon in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, after meeting one of the boys for the first time, following a relationship formed on Snapchat. Both boys were also convicted of raping a second victim in a separate incident. Disturbingly, they filmed the assaults and shared parts of the footage online, which the judge acknowledged as making the crimes even more serious.
The victim’s family is advocating for harsher penalties, describing the boys’ sentences as a “slap on the wrist.” The attorney general has 28 days to determine if the case should be referred to the Court of Appeal for reconsideration. The girl’s mother directly appealed to the prime minister, asking for intervention and highlighting the broader implications of the ruling on public safety and justice.
In the sentencing, one of the boys received a three-year youth rehabilitation order for multiple charges, while the other received a similar sentence. A 14-year-old accomplice was given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order for his role in the second attack. A government spokesperson expressed shared shock at the case’s details, affirming that the Law Officers are reviewing the situation with urgency.
