Richard has been reflecting on the horrific case many will have read about regarding the sentencing of three teenage boys convicted of 10 counts of rape against two teenage girls in Fordingbridge. The three teenagers were not given prison sentences. They were handed ‘rehabilitation orders’ and walked out without serving a single day behind bars. The Attorney General is now reviewing the sentences to see if they were unduly lenient after pressure from the Shadow justice team.
Commenting, Richard Fuller MP said:
Many constituents have contacted me expressing profound distress at this sentence, and I understand why. It appears to me that there are two distinct issues: first, the judgment and the comments made during it; and second, the sentencing guidelines that judges are bound to follow.
After the judgment, during which the offenders were praised for doing "very well" during the trial, one of the victims bravely shared that it felt like a “rock straight to her face” - and frankly, I can see why. Not only did both victims have to endure the trauma of the original crimes, but they were then put through the trauma of an elongated trial and cross-examination – all because the offenders’ refused to take responsibility. And to compound that trauma, the victims now face the daily anxiety of knowing their perpetrators are walking free in their community. I believe it is entirely right that this case has been referred to the Court of Appeal for review, and I will be following the outcome of this closely.
This leads to the second issue: do we need to look at the sentencing guidelines themselves? Judges must operate within the framework set for them. If those frameworks aren't delivering the justice, accountability, or deterrence necessary to protect the public and uphold confidence in our justice system, it is my belief that they must be revised.
Of course, rehabilitation is important - but surely that includes the healing of the victim, not only the rehabilitation of the offender? Custodial sentences must serve other fundamental purposes too - punishment, deterrent and protection for the public.
