AIBU to complain about lenient sentencing in teenage rape case?

[Gingerbreadtree]

Please raise a complaint about the unduly lenient sentencing of the three teenage boys who have avoided prison after raping two teenage girls.

https://www.gov.uk/ask-crown-court-sentence-review

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

I’ve completed the form and I’m fairly local so will also be writing to my MP.

I’ll tell you what I’m an expert in - surviving rape as a teenager and I can tell you the mental effects last a lifetime. Those girls will have a life sentence of PTSD and potentially physical health effects as well. Their victim impact statements make that clear already. How is a youth supervision order a just sentence?

I completed the form and just put the 3 boys in the Fordingbridge rape case. I’m appalled.

I’ve submitted the form.

How can a judge be so utterly out of touch? Yes, they have sentencing guidelines but this was a premeditated horrific crime, committed twice, and they walk away with the equivalent of a slap over the hand. I despair, those poor girls and their families have had their lives destroyed.

Signed ..first time signing anything but our society can not continue on this path.

Those girls went through so much for so little in return justice wise.

Thank you for sharing the link. I’ve completed the form too.

My blood is boiling over this. We must demand better

Absolutely, bloody horrific!! Unbelievable that they get a paltry slap on the wrist and these poor girls are now serving a life sentence! Signed!

Done. Absolute shitshow of a sentence

Those poor, poor girls. The courage to go through a trial after their utterly horrific experience of being gang raped...for this. The judge probably sees himself as an "empathetic chap", shame he has no empathy for the female children who will have a lifetime of trying to cope with what has been done to them (frankly, by the justice system as well as the rapists).

I've filled in the form, can anyone suggest anything else people can do? I feel that if us women allow this to just disappear from the news we will be failing all our girls. This utter contempt for the suffering of girls needs to be fought against.

Same Southampton judge who let off a man found with thousands of child abuse images because his wife had cancer. Im obviously very sorry for her but how is that a reason to let someone off such a despicable crime. Disgusting and this judge should be sacked.

I’ve never written to my MP before but have just sent her a letter asking her to support any application for a review of these sentences. This has just made me feel sick. What message does it give to both boys AND girls? Boys do what the fuck you like, girls your pain is worth nothing.

I’ve submitted a form of complaint and written an email to my MP. (I’ve never done that before).

Im so angry about this sentence, those boys need intensive, very close supervision and therapy to ensure they never do this kind of thing again.

Those poor poor girls.

@GasperyJacquesRoberts no. But I'm not having an opinion on the sentence.

Form submitted. I saw this earlier and it’s absolutely outrageous.

Names - I put not published due to age
Date - today 21/05/2026
Court - Southampton

I pasted this in details; https://www.cps.gov.uk/wessex/news/three-teenage-boys-sentenced-after-two-girls-raped-separate-attacks

Reasons are personal to you

This isn't a complaint form or a petition.

If you're submitting this form you are asking for a review on the basis that the sentence is unduly lenient because the judge has made an error of law.

Not because you or I feel the sentence is too short, or because you feel the sentencing guidelines are wrong.

Because you believe the judge has made an error in law. Not in your opinion, in law.

People should understand exactly what it is they are claiming and to be frank I suspect 99% of posters who have "signed" (signed what? It's not a petition) don't realise exactly what they're doing.

As another PP has already stated, only one unduly lenient claim needs to be made for this to be passed for review. A mass campaign to sign isn't going to change anything because the test is whether the judge has erred in law, not in public opinion.

People are also writing to their MP.

what else would you suggest we do?

You've said this many times, everyone understands you don't think this is worth bothering about. Why you have persistently tried to discourage PP from doing anything is, frankly, bizarre. What is your motivation here? Are you really that worried about civil servants having a full email box?

It depends what you want to achieve.

If you want the sentencing guidelines to be reviewed because you think rape should attract harsher sentences, campaign. Educate yourself on criminal law, start petitions, email your MP.

If you want the sentencing in this particular case to be looked at, that's already been achieved. It was achieved the moment the first UL form went in. Everything else is superfluous.

If you want these boys to go to prison, well to be honest if the option above fails then there's little else which can be done.

Why do you think I believe it's not worth bothering?

The fact of the matter is it only takes one UL form to trigger a review. Hundreds of people doing it is a waste of time, and as you can see from this thread there is quite a bit of misunderstanding from posters about what they're actually doing - as I said, it's not a complaint form or a petition.

Posters should know what they're being asked to do and understand what's going on and why. Facts are important.

Whilst public opinion is not relevant in the sentencing of individuals, it is very relevant for setting guidelines for sentences.

So it is incredibly important that if people think the punishment in this case is lenient, they do make a complaint so that goverments are aware of public option for any future guidelines.

I disagree there is no point more than one person putting in an objection, as a previous PP who is a civil servant posted, while only one objection is necessary, receiving many thousands will draw attention to the amount of public disgust.

Also, could you explain why you have spent so many hours trying to deter people from placing objections? Because you have been remarkably persistent. I first read a thread about this over 6 hours ago, came back and you're still going at it. Why is this so important to you- are you really that concerned about civil servants having a full email inbox tomorrow?

This isn't a complaint form.

By filling in this form you are not making a complaint.

You are saying that the sentence is unduly lenient in law.

Specifically, you are claiming that the sentence falls outside the range of sentences which the judge, applying his mind to all the relevant factors, could reasonably consider appropriate.

As I stated above, hundreds of people complaining is NOT a waste of time in the long term. Lawmakers listen to public option and Guideline have been changed as a direct consequence of complaints by the public.

From the CPS

”Public opinion is not used by courts to determine individual sentences, but it directly influences sentencing policy through the statutory requirement to promote public confidence, and the public can formally submit complaints to have sentences reviewed under specific schemes.”

Keep complaining!!

How many hours have I spent on this, please?

Because I reckon the sum total of my posts on the matter has taken me about 20 minutes.

It is important to me that the public understands how our legal system operates and that they're not being duped into signing something being presented as a "complaint" or a petition when it is very much not.