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.

Representing them in what way?

Three boys now sitting in Southampton courtroom

The judge says both offenders X and Y will be sentenced to four years' detention, but they will not have to stay in that detention for all that time.
"Four years is a very long time," Carr says. "You will not stay in detention for all of that time."
She says time spent on curfew before the trial will count toward the sentence.
She also says they will have to follow police instructions for their whole lives. The restraining orders on contacting the victims will also be in place for the rest of the offenders' lives.

Turning to Z, Carr says what he did "was also very bad".
She says they have thought "very carefully" about whether to change his sentence too.
"We have decided because you were very young... we do not need to change your sentence," she says.
(from the BBC)

Graun report:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/02/decision-not-to-jail-three-teenagers-for-was-wrong-court-of-appeal-rules

I’ve just seen this reported on the BBC news app. There are no winners here. But the most important thing is that 2 girls will go to bed tonight knowing that what happened to them was very, very wrong. That many, many people are on their side. That senior judges have given out more appropriate sentences.

No one can ever take away what happened to the girls but I hope that they can heal and move forward.

4 years for each crime, even if served consecutively not concurrently, would not be enough.

The judge today told the convicts that, had they been adults at the time of the crimes, they would have faced custodial sentences in excess of 10 years. Yet they are going to get a couple of years detention max, as they won't serve the full 4 years.

Rape (by an adult) carries a maximum life sentence I believe. I fail to understand why this isn't the starting-point when considering all rape sentences, in the same way that it is for murder. We really do live in a patriarchy. Had the convicts been adults I don't think 10 years would have been enough. What is the desired outcome? - surely it's to stop them ever raping anyone again? In which case, lock the bastards up for life.

Rape (by an adult) carries a maximum life sentence I believe. I fail to understand why this isn't the starting-point when considering all rape sentences, in the same way that it is for murder.

Because although rape is a serious crime, it isn’t as serious as murder. Also, sentencing rapists to life imprisonment could give them an incentive to murder their victims (same sentence, but more chance of getting away with it).

The boys were also praised for their conduct in court! WTAF!!!!

Serious crime my arse. It is not taken even remotely seriously, just look at the pig being released today after the mass rape of children.

Yes, thanks to @newrubylane for starting this important thread initially and to @professionalcommentreader for providing the links to show us the effective way to complain.

No doubt the judge treated these rapists with kid gloves because they're Travellers, one of the oppressed groups in the big bag of progressive ideas.

Would that judge be so understanding if it was her daughters who'd been raped? Course not. These judges are a menace to ordinary people.

Their sentence has been changed by the Court of Appeal to 4 years incarceration

The same thing happened with a group of Syrian youth asylum seekers in Germany who gang banged a 14 year old girl and left her unconscious and naked outside in the freezing cold. They were given suspended sentences. The case is alluded to in that movie "Citizen Vigilante."

But the time they have already spent will be deducted and they will only serve half the remainder.

Also the restraining order preventing them contacting the victims has been increased from 10 years to life.

Its not nearly enough, but its better than it was.

Yes, crazy situation. All it does is create disillusion and anger. The judges and lawyers have created this when there was no need if they'd just applied a bit of common sense.

full judgement here. It’s well reasoned, in my view.

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Approved-judgment-subject-to-editorial-corrections-R-v-X-Y-Z.pdf

Thanks for this. Just to say I've just read on the BBC:

It is understood that the offenders will appeal the court's updated sentencing.

I suppose it is possible to get more in that situation?

Yes I agree. It’s also good that they have forbidden them from contacting the girls ever again.

There is no way it will be reduced.

If they are so dangerous that they need to be forbidden legally from contacting the girls forever, what are the chances that they will rape someone else? Pretty high I'd guess.

It is a great pity that we dont exclude offenders from the area where they offended

I would suggest that they should be banned from going south of the M25, possibly reviewable after 10 years

The other good thing about the revised judgement is that these three boys will be separated. They will no longer be able to egg each other on or reinforce each others' disgusting attitudes.

They will be removed from the family environments that have allowed them to grow up thinking this sort of behaviour is acceptable.

Hopefully they will be in placements where they have decent guidance and healthy role models if they are to have any chance of lasting rehabilitation.

They are entitled to appeal. The appeal can be heard or denied. At this stage, it’s all down to the court to allow or deny an appeal.
There is a process and it is usually fair.
IANAL.

4 years is pathetic
and taking time off for the period under curfew is nonsence
Curfew is not the same as being locked up

All three should have received far more
one person - twelve rapes. That’s 4 months per rape and as they’ll be let out sooner even less
What a disgrace !!

My understanding of the successful overturning of the custodial sentences is that:

The Attorney General's lawyer successfully demonstrated that in this case it was a last resort. A custodial sentence should always be used as a last resort.

Also, that there are the victims' personal statements, which spoke of enduring distress and despair. The original judge did not explain why he
found that this material did not prove severe psychological harm. It appears
that he may have placed substantial weight on his own impressions formed
during the trial.

Violation of girls /women should result in imprisonment and time of a meaningful nature.

Time the licence to do what I want was brought to an end.
The sob stories when caught blah blah
They weren't thinking that whilst offending