Content warning - Teenage boys escape prison for rape

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clypg68e2neo

These poor girls. An absolutely sickening article.

'Two 15-year-old boys and a boy, 14, were previously convicted of rape following a trial at Southampton Crown Court.
The 15-year-olds were given three-year Youth Rehabilitation Orders with intensive surveillance and supervision. The younger boy's probation supervision will be for one and half years.
Two of the boys' mothers burst into tears as Judge Nicholas Rowland told the attackers "none of you need to go to prison today".
The judge praised the bravery of the two girls for giving evidence.'

How is surveillance/supervision going to make the slightest bit of difference? These boys should have gone to prison or a YOI.

Judge praises girls for their bravery while failing to dish out any consequences whatsoever.

There has been a massive push over recent years to keep under-18s out of custody. I can see the reasons for this, but it comes with trade-offs which are rarely acknowledged.

This is horrendous. Only saving grace it that they were found guilty.

"I should avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily and understand the effects of their behaviour and support their reintegration into society."

if you've been convicted of a crime, doesn't that automatically make you a CRIMINAL? No "unnecessary" about it.

I'm sure the poor girls will be suffering the "effects of their behaviour" for the rest of their life but god forbid the poor rapists get any punishment.

I have a little bit of experience with criminal cases so usually give outrage over lenient sentences the benefit of the doubt but this has really enraged me. I think it's the fact it happened twice. AND they filmed it AND shared it after. How does that indicate remorse or potential for learning and growth?

Raising a generation of boys for whom there are no consequences (I would consider a loss of their freedom the least amount of punishment they should have received). And raising a generation of girls who know that boys can act with impunity, while they suffer lifelong whatever those boys decide to inflict upon them (while, at the same time, learning that "no" isn't kind and, besides, doesn't apply to boys).

And people wonder why society is in the mess it's in.

There's also an AIBU thread, including an "unduly lenient" form that apparently anyone can submit:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5532716-aibu-to-think-these-boys-should-have-been-incarcerated?reply=152444735

The judge said they hadn't been in major trouble before,no I don't believe that for a minute they just hadn't been caught.
Boys /men that offend don't go from 0 to 100 and commit rape they'll have been offending long before.

Also fuck their circumstances,low intelligence,from the traveller community
What about the girls who were attacked when do they come into it they suffered a harrowing ordeal that will leave it's mark.

Those little bastards should have been put in secure unit then moved to young offender when of age.

Thank you. I will write.

I was raped by 3 boys when I was 12 and they were these boys ages. I'm 40 now and I still suffer with my mental health because of it. How dare the judge 'praise' these boys! And because they have never been in real trouble before? Well that may be true but they have raped two teenage girls (at least two, you never know if more haven't come forward) now so they should bloody suffer the consequences like those poor girls will have to. Imagine going to the police, giving all the evidence, invasive procedures, having to prove that you're telling the truth to everyone over and over again, for them to just get away with it. I'm sick of boys getting away with sexual assault because "they're good kids" or similar. The only thing this generation is learning is that there are no consequences and they can do whatever the hell they want.

Doesn't matter whether they'd been in trouble before, whether they were good kids, whether prison puts their futures at risk. Rape is rape, and should mean automatic prison - or if they are too young for prison, some other incarceration.

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

I've submitted asking for a review, but the boys aren't named, so I hope they know who it refers to.

Submitted also.

It's all going off on the other thread, and I'm seriously going to lose my temper in a big way, so am taking a step back from it. Lots of us have submitted the form, for whatever good it will do.

I have also submitted the online form and put, as the name/s, "underage rapists". Enough info (eg date, location of crown court) is submitted - they will know the case to which you refer.

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15836845/Teenage-gang-lured-schoolgirl-15-underpass-laughed-filmed-raping-handed-youth-rehabilitation-orders.html

A longer article. Another content warning.

The judge actually sounds like he praised these boys.

What do we do with the rage?

Complain and ask your MP to complain.
https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

Hang on there were two separate offences so surely they had committed a previous offence? Plus a knife was involved. These sentences need to be reviewed.

Well , you could go over to the other thread and start swearing at people , but I can't personally recommend it!

(I'm really not trying to be glib, I think it's nearly at the point where MNHQ will have to step in)

There is nowhere for the rage. Not at the moment. I suppose filling out the form has a purpose. I just haven't felt this angry in a long time, or maybe I have, but felt there was no outlet.

It's the bare naked misogyny, you see. These girls have had their lives ruined, and the judge ENTIRE SYSTEM doesn't care. Because they are girls.

My MP is SNP. He could not give a FUCK about women. Or anything bar his gigantic ego.

So, one of my posts on the other thread has been deleted. Perhaps the swearing? But lots of posters are swearing and they haven't been deleted. So, no idea. Second one this week, too, so doing well...

I guess a court in Southampton is nothing to do with Scotland, but you could ask him if the same leniency could occur in Scotland and quote this at him:

What is the SNP doing to tackle violence against women & girls?
The SNP is committed to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) through prevention, education, strengthening justice responses, and increasing support for services.

I'm sure there was a rape case of a teen girl and the little beast that raped her got community service.

I’m fucking INCANDESCENT with rage after reading about this, I came here as I knew there would be a thread.

CAN WE ALL COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SENTENCE BRING TOO LENIENT??

Those poor, poor girls.

Not in any way comparable but recently a group of girls parents had to complain to the school about the misogynistic grim behaviour by an entitled small group of year 12 boys who play a sport that means a lot to the school. Numerous statements from the girls and many of the boys as witnesses. Teachers horrified by the behaviour - talk of suspensions / expulsions. What’s actually happened? Nothing.

I feel sick reading that. So a girl can be raped and knife point and the perpetrators still don’t go to prison. Not only is it not a fitting punishment what about the fact it’s a lack of deterrent for others? Teen boys will think they can rape girls and there be no consequences.