Two British teenage rapists given 4-year detention

Two British teenage boys who were initially spared custodial sentences after being convicted of rape were ordered on Thursday to serve four years' detention ​by London's Court of Appeal, which ruled that the original sentences were ‌unduly lenient.

The original sentences caused a public and political outcry after three teenage boys avoided custody despite being convicted of raping two girls in separate attacks.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the case ​as appalling, saying before the appeal court ruling that he supported a ​review of the sentences. His attorney general later referred the case ⁠to the Court of Appeal.

The attacks took place in southern England in November ​2024 and January 2025.

The two boys whose sentences were increased, referred to in court ​as X and Y and aged 14 at the time of the offences, were convicted in May of raping both victims and of offences relating to indecent images recorded during the attacks.

Lady ​Chief Justice Sue Carr, the most senior judge in England and Wales, said the ​repeated offending by X and Y meant a custodial sentence was "unavoidable."

"What you both did was so bad that we decided we had no other choice but to make these sentences," Carr said in delivering the three-judge panel's ruling.

X and Y will be released ​after serving half ​of the custodial ⁠term, Carr added, with time already spent in detention and part of the time spent on bail under curfew counting towards ​their sentences.

The third boy, referred to as Z and aged 13 ​at the ⁠time of the incident, was convicted in May of two counts of rape by encouraging one of the attacks and an offence of indecent images. He was sentenced to ⁠an 18-month ​youth rehabilitation order.


-Reuters