Reform UK says it would impose whole-life jail terms on child rapists

"Yusuf said: For too long, Conservative and Labour governments have failed to protect our children. A Reform government will introduce mandatory minimum life sentences for those who rape children. It is shameful that this is not already the law. It is a stain on our national conscience that grooming gangs were allowed to operate for years with impunity, and in many cases still do."

"Under plans announced by Zia Yusuf on Saturday, the party would introduce mandatory whole-life orders for offenders convicted of the crime, making them ineligible for parole, as part of a crackdown on grooming gangs. Reform said its intention was for mandatory minimums to apply to historic child sexual abuse to ensure that heinous historic crimes are also sentenced proportionally. There were 677 convictions for rape of children under the age of 16 in 2024, according to Ministry of Justice data."

"Life sentences can be given to child rapists at a judge's discretion under existing rules, with an offence range of six to 19 years for offences against children under 13. Reform said the policy had been factored in to its plans to free up prison capacity by deporting foreign criminals to their country of origin and building Nightingale prisons."

Reform UK proposes mandatory whole-life orders with no parole for offenders convicted of raping children, including historic offences, to ensure proportional sentencing. The policy targets grooming gangs and intends mandatory minimums to apply to historic child sexual abuse. There were 677 convictions for rape of children under 16 in 2024, according to Ministry of Justice data. Life sentences can already be imposed at a judge's discretion, while offences against children under 13 carry a range of six to 19 years. Some grooming gang child rapists have received sentences as low as four years, and the party plans to free prison capacity by deporting foreign criminals and building Nightingale prisons.

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