AIBU to think these boys should have been incarcerated?

[newrubylane]

BBC News - Teenage boys sentenced for raping lone girls
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clypg68e2neo

I've never started an AIBU before, but I'm genuinely really shocked. I'm just not sure how this sentence is justifiable. Their actions were premeditated and deliberate, they were carrying a knife and they filmed themselves. They're obviously a danger to women/girls, and probably to other boys too.

If anyone knows how and why this sentence might have come about, I'd be interested to hear it.

I agree, a lot of fine words. The conviction will mean nothing to them.

I agree this won't be their last appearance in a court.

all public services unfortunately are under resourced. And there is little research currently on this subject. But research does show that rehab works better than punishment, which we do know.

regarding the spent conviction you are correct of course, but anything requiring a DBS will see this. Disclosing an unspent conviction means the likelihood of accessing employment/education are greatly reduced, which are both huge factors for desistance from crime hence why youth sentences are spent sooner. I am not sure what being out in the community but having to disclose for longer would achieve. Any job which requires working with vulnerable people would be made aware regardless. There is also register for sexual offenders and other sexual harm orders which is longer and likely in place here anyway exceeding the 3 years which would need to be disclosed.

I am not shutting it down or saying people shouldn’t appeal either. The judge certainly could have got it wrong here and every system should be free to be criticised. But the people in that court room will have all the info to make decisions most of which will not be public due to this being youths. It just feels what lots of people want here simply will not happen within the law. Which is why I said people do not understand how it works. And what is being asked for just does not exist.

The other benefit of long custodial sentences is the boys will be removed from the family environments that have taught them to behave in such an appalling manner.

In a proper rehabilitation unit, where they are seperated from each other, there is more chance of their learning some decency and core values.

Yes, thank you so much for setting up this thread OP as I wouldn't have even heard about this otherwise (don't always watch the news as too depressing, then I came across this 😞 Just signed the form as well and considering emailing my MP also.

I saw an article about this yesterday. It said the perpetrators are from the travelling community. Can't seem to find it now, maybe it's been pulled/edited? Other articles say the boys had ADHD and 'low intellectual capacity'. First article said the judge told them they weren't being given custodial because of those factors. Basically a licence for less intelligent people to get away with the most heinous crimes? The mindset and thought process of these judges terrifies me.

Well I hope you're right 🙏 ....
but the comments made by the judge about "not "criminalising then" are still way out of order and surely give out the wrong message to other scum that are inclined to do the same :(

Shocking. I could understand the argument for a non-custodial sentence if it was a one-off. However, they premeditatedly repeated the offence, and would surely have raped further girls if they had the chance.

they will be 18 by the time they finish these orders and have time to mature and learn consequences and understand why they should never repeat this behaviour. It may not feel like justice as saying lock them up ‘feels’ more justified. But in reality it is just not as effective at preventing this happening again

These children will never learn that, they laughed and taunted these girls, threatened one with a knife. The most effective way to prevent this from happening again is to put them in prison and don’t let them out until they are old

Sure. However, the research you are referring to is largely relates to lower-level and non-violent offending. The evidence base for community disposals being more effective than custody specifically in cases of serious, premeditated, group sexual violence involving weapons is considerably thinner. Citing general rehabilitation research to justify this specific outcome is a stretch.
You say 'what people want simply does not exist within the law' and that is precisely the point many of us are making! Perhaps it should. If the law cannot provide a proportionate response to ten rape convictions involving a knife, filmed group assaults and two separate victims, then the law needs examining. That is not ignorance of how the system works. That is a legitimate democratic argument about whether the system is fit for purpose.
Nobody in this thread is calling for vengeance. We are questioning whether a non-custodial sentence adequately reflects the gravity of what was done to two teenage girls. Those are not the same thing, and conflating them doesn't strengthen your argument.

Submitted the form

Submitted the form too. Both my husband and I. We are truly horrified by the sentence.

These boys might be minors but they were old enough to know raping a young girl at knife point and filming it was criminal behaviour. Most rape cases don’t ever actually get to trial. This case had bloody video evidence and it still didn’t result in a custodial sentence. In these circumstances I think the societal messaging is actually more important than the individual ‘needs’ of those boys. What about the needs of the girls, one of whom wants to die. It makes me sick. I don’t really give a shit about pension funding - I do want my girls to grow up feeling safe.

This needs to be shared on other forums and social media too. We need to get as many forms submitted as possible. I have posted on a couple of other forums that I use.

‘He added that he needed to remember the boys were “very young”, had low intelligence, a “limited understanding of consent” and “peer pressure played a large part in what went on”.’

Peer pressure? Try a vape, did they?!

‘Forced to leave her mobile phone and AirTag in a shop so her movements could not be tracked, she was made to walk to a secluded field, where she was raped by two of the defendants as they filmed the incident.’

This part is terrifyingly premeditated (and shows some level of forethought/intelligence)

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/21/boys-convicted-of-get-non-custodial-sentences-as-judge-says-they-should-not-be-criminalised-unnecessarily

Rape is a vile crime, often having huge MH impacts on the victim.

What sort of person pins down, against her will, another person and then enjoys having sex with the crying victim? whether it be power or sex.

One off? no such thing, once they know they can do this once, they'll do it again, these boys shared the images, treated it all as a big joke, no regret, not shame.

Stomach churning that prison and a very long sentence wasn't imposed.

what message has this Judge sent to the rest of society?

I appreciate we may not know ALL the information, but it’s patronising to accuse the vast majority who are appalled by this of not knowing enough to recognise this is unacceptable.

What occurred here wasn’t youths merely acting selfishly, recklessly or thoughtlessly, these were acts of premeditated evil for which there can be no mitigating factors that should mean they avoid a lengthy custodial sentence regardless of the fact they are teenagers, similar to the James Bulger case.

These youths were capable of acting as a group to attack girls in a secluded place as knifepoint, rape them, show sadistic pleasure as they did so, and then post video of the acts to others. If they had the mental capacity to do this, it is irrelevant what their IQ is, they are culpable and should be punished accordingly.

Responding to this by quibbling that procedure may have been followed or that we are under-resourced to manage youth crime but not with outrage that this is unacceptable regardless is nothing other than callous.

Submitted an appeal to the sentence. This is horrific. It's no wonder there is so much violence against women when there is no deterrent.

Jess Phillips is currently on R4 blaming social media companies for this

There is also an important factor in the message it sends more broadly. Gang rape a girl in your teenage years? Probably fine, seen as a bit of a childish misdemeanor, slap on the wrist and a few courses (that may or may not be true but that will be the perception). If it happens to you, then probably best not report, it'll be dragged out in the courts, you'll be called a liar, and those kids who filmed you, degraded you and mocked you will be called good kids and congratulated for their behaviour in court (!!). Sentences act as deterrents, and an example of justice, they are not just about the individual perpetrator.

And I also don't believe that rehabilitation can't take place in a young offenders' custodial setting, they aren't adult prisons.

Another thing - I think the belief that every criminal can be rehabilitated is misguided and naive, and that the focus on rehabilitation over punishment at all costs means that justice isn't served.

Also, justice must be seen to be done.

It isnt just about these boys.

So why criminalise anyone?

The committed (heinous) crimes - they criminalised themselves.

It is based upon Christian principles (which liberals follow even though they claim not to), they literally believe anyone can be saved even though we know that these boys will never ‘see the light’

Exactly. I don’t believe a rapist can be taught not to rape. Rehabilitation doesn’t work. It’s how the rapist views women and girls. That can’t be changed. You can educate but they will never change. These boys should have gone to prison. They will get the best treatment possible if they turn up.

@Brunts12you are absolutely spot on.

I am still waiting for evidence that community rehabilitation works for young gang rapists.

Not young shoplifters, vandals, arsonists, burglars.

The judge in this case has made the decision that these 3 young convicted gang rapists are suitable for community based rehabilitation. But, is there any evidence that such programs actually work with rapists whilst the offenders remain in the community in which their behaviour originated? I suspect not as the data pool will be rather limited. I strongly doubt that the three males will actually receive the kind of rehabilitation in the community that the judge and others seem to think that they will.

So, we end up with a situation where the victims do not receive justice and the convicted rapists are dealt with by a system not designed to rehabilitate gang rapists.