at the risk of sounding a bit Daily Mail-ish, I really don't think the sentences for this appalling attack on a young women with special needs are long enough...

[edam]

WARNING this is distressing Saw previous coverage of the trial - I'm amazed the rapists have only got six to nine years.

Seems to be this is about as serious a crime as you can get, short of murder. So why are the sentences less than the ones I see reported for armed robbery, for instance? Do we value victims of violence less than cold hard cash?

Just hope the poor girl somehow finds a way to live a happy life despite her injuries and trauma.

I'd just read about this on the bbc website before coming on to mumsnet.

I agree that the sentences are too short and do not seem to take into account the pre-meditated targetting of a vulnerable individual and what must be the horror of a gangrape.

These men should lose their youth to prison imo and they won't with those sentences.

My dh and myself agree the sentencing is too lenient. These scum should spend the rest of their youth in prison. A month before release, they should be chemically castrated (or maybe have caustic soda thrown over their private parts).

Now I know I sound like the daily mail (sorry).

I actually screamed at the radio when I heard the sentences.

This is just not justice. I'm going to write to the CPS and if there is any petition, please someone link to it, because this is an unbelievably low sentence for such a wicked crime.

That is fucking revolting, that poor poor girl. What the HELL is happening in the world? I am completely disgusted that these sort of crimes are being 'normalised' to the point that they warrant such pitiful sentences.
Sickening.

disgusting please someone let me sign something

Dittany already posted the link for anyone who wants to protest at the sentences: here

Is it also worth writing to the Home Secretary?

I literally can't believe the sentence. It wasn't just rape or gang rape, it was attempted murder - they left that girl to die in agony and have damaged her forever. The signal this low sentence sends out, is that it really is no big deal. I actually felt fear when I heard about the sentences - if this sort of thing is so normal that it only warrants 6 years, how safe is my little girl going to be in 10 years time? How safe am I now?

It's just horrifying - I really did expect them to get life. What on earth was the judge thinking of?

Is there some kind of special formula you have to use to protest to the CPS? Can you just write a letter saying the sentence is not long enough? Or do you have to have aggravating factors etc.?

agree LittleBella. My criminal law is rust, but would have thought that intent to cause GBH is enough for some sort of homicide charge.

Bastards, scum of the earth.

People get more for financial crimes....(not saying it's OK to commit fraud etc, but you know where I'm coming from) the justice system in this country sucks

thanks edam

info about how to go about complaining to the Attorney General here

agreed. IMO rape is one of the most serious crimes there is, short of murder.

Sentencing is nothing to do with the CPS, you would be wasting your time writing to them. I would suspect that the CPS would be just as pissed off about the sentence as the rest of the world. Totalchaos - for GBH with intent the offender could get an indeterminant sentence which could mean life, depending on whether they are ever deemed 'fit to return to the community'

When this case was originally reported I couldn't stop thinking about it, I was in tears so much.

When someone said that it's nearly as bad as murder, to me it is as bad as murder.

I saw the BBC earlier and couldn't believe the sentances.

The article said they had a lot of trouble investigating as the community wouldn't cooperate. WTF kind of people don't cooperate with the police when something like this has happened.

I really can't think of anything worse.

They should definitely have got life. They tortured the poor girl, poured acid over her and left her to die. WTF is the world coming to to with these sentances?

Going to look at the site to complain.

So what can we do about this? Try to set up a petition at the no. 10 website? Draft a letter and all send it to that address?

I am just so shocked and upset. It basically says that what these men did was fine. And if Dittany's numbers are right there are another 6 men walking free who were involved in this.

I feel sick.

I think if we all send individual letters it would have more impact.

thanks for the legal info martha.

I think a petition is also important though, in raising awareness. Lots of people who feel strongly would sign a petition, but not necessarily write an individual letter.

Actually, it might be worth contacting the CPS branch that dealt with the case. They will be in the best position to appeal on the grounds of undue lenience. I'm not sure how members of the public would appeal in their own right.

None of the links have an address to write to - although it does say that members of the public can write.

I will have a little google and see what i can find.

Littlebella i agree a petition would be a good idea but i don't know how to set one up...

Attorney general office address:

here

Is this the right one do we think?

What sort of thing shoud i put in the letter - just say i am dismayed at the sentences as they seem to light given what happened etc?

Is it best to get all daily mail or not? I mean i don't know the evidence etc, only what was in the paper, and don't know the legal stuff. Do I just put how I feel?