A 15-year-old girl in Hampshire was threatened with a knife and raped by three boys after becoming separated from friends in January 2025. She reported flashbacks and said she wants to walk without fear of seeing the attackers again. Sentences given to the three boys did not include custodial time, prompting national outcry. A judge said he wanted to avoid criminalising the children unnecessarily. After complaints, the attorney general referred the sentences to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. The victim said it felt like she was being punished for something not her fault because she cannot go out without fear. The incident involved isolation, threats, forced movement to a secluded field, and an attack that was filmed.
"“I just want to be able to go on a walk without being scared that I'm going to see them and they're gonna try to do something again.”"
"“It just felt like I was being punished for something that wasn't my fault because it just means I can't go out, she said. I just wanted to be able to go out without the fear of seeing them or being around them.”"
"“I just kind of thought, well why did I go through all of that for nothing to come of it? Why did I put myself through that much? To have to deal with this for the rest of my life with them being right, it wasn't really fair.”"
"“Instead of focusing on her GCSE exams, she is now struggling with flashbacks.”"
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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