Yes, you can appeal unduly lenient sentences. (This is edited from a FiLiA piece a while ago, on another horribly lenient sentence, which I used as a template. Thank you to FiLiA.)
You can write to the Attorney General to demand an appeal. You have only 28 days to register this complaint. You can send a letter by post to:
Attorney General
The Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC
5-8 The Sanctuary
London
SW1P 3JS
or via e mail to:
[email protected]
If you need any help with wording, please cut, paste, amend and make the following your own and please share:
FAO The Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC
I am writing to request that you review the sentence handed down to Callum Haycock at Worcester Crown Court on 1st October, for the rape of a five year old child. This 21 year old man did not plead guilty, and therefore subjected a five year old to providing witness evidence at the trial of her own rape. He was sentenced to just three years of community service, with five years on the Sexual Offenders Register. There was no custodial sentence.
This sentencing level is grossly inadequate for an adult convicted of extreme sexual violence towards a very young child. It does not begin to reflect the seriousness of the offence, it cannot serve as any deterrent to others, and it does not even adequately provide for proper levels of oversight and monitoring in the years ahead. I therefore believe that this sentence is unduly lenient. I ask that this case is referred to the Court of Appeal.
These things have a lot more sway if the wording is personal, so please do write your own email if you have time, or stomach, to do so. This mother, and above all brave little girl, so deserve our solidarity.
If the mum is on Mumsnet: we send love and outrage in equal measure. Your little girl is the bravest of the brave, and it's horrific that a judge let her down so horrendously badly. I very much hope that the Appeal Court do review this, and ensure justice is done.