Attorney General Lord Hermer stated he had "no doubt" about referring the case of three teenage boys who raped two girls in Hampshire to the Court of Appeal. The boys, aged 13 and 14 at the time of the attacks, received youth rehabilitation orders instead of custodial sentences, sparking public backlash. One victim described the sentence as like a "rock in my face."
Lord Hermer said he read the victim statements and praised the girls' bravery. The Sentencing Council prioritizes rehabilitation for children, but the attorney general argued the sentences were unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal will now review the case, with political figures including Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick condemning the original outcome.