Why Did Teenage Rapists Avoid Custody?
Newscast
BBC
4.3 • 6.6K Ratings
🗓️ 26 May 2026
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today, the family of a teenage rape victim whose attackers were spared jail have told the BBC they hope the "correct outcome will prevail" -- after it was announced the sentences would be referred to the Court of Appeal.
There was widespread criticism after three boys were handed youth rehabilitation orders in connection with the rape of two teenage girls in Hampshire. Sentencing guidelines state that rehabilitation should be prioritised for youth offenders. The Prime Minister confirmed on Tuesday the sentences would now be referred to the Court of Appeal. Adam is joined by home and legal correspondent Dominic Casciani.
And, Iran says the US has committed a "gross violation" of the ceasefire with new air strikes it launched on the country in the past 48 hours. It is unclear what impact the strikes will have on talks aimed to end the conflict. Adam speaks to Parham Ghobadi, senior reporter for BBC Persian and Caitriona Perry, chief presenter BBC News
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:06.0 | Hello, we are back in the newscast studio, which is a shame for one reason because it was great to see so many newscasters in person at the Hay Festival, and it was a fun vibe. |
| 0:16.2 | But good for another reason, which is that we have air conditioning here. So I, for one, for now, am very comfortable as the UK breaks some more temperature records for the month of May. |
| 0:28.3 | And we're back in the not-so-hot seat for this episode of Newscast. |
| 0:33.7 | Newscast from the BBC. |
| 0:36.1 | Humanity's next great voyage begins. We are in the midst of a rupture. Nostalgia will not bring back the old order. Six-seven. Yeah. It's supposed to be me as a doctor. Daddy has also a special connotation. Ooh-la-la-la. Thinking about it like a panto helped. Do we play music now? What do we do? |
| 0:58.9 | Hello, it's Adam in the newscast studio, and shortly we will get the latest on Iran, because there have been some developments in that part of the world. But first of all, there's been a |
| 1:03.7 | development here in the UK over that case of the three teenage boys who were given youth |
| 1:09.0 | rehabilitation orders in connection with the rape of two teenage girls in Hampshire, rather than being given custodial sentences. |
| 1:17.3 | There was a big public outcry about those sentences over the last couple of days. |
| 1:21.3 | Laura Kaye did that very powerful interview with one of the girls on her program at the weekend. |
| 1:26.6 | And the development today is the |
| 1:27.8 | Prime Minister announced that the Attorney General is using the powers he's got to do this to refer |
| 1:32.8 | the sentence to the Court of Appeal, where a trio of judges will decide if this sentence was |
| 1:38.2 | unduly lenient. The person who can explain all of this and a lot of detail for us and help us |
| 1:43.4 | understand what's going on is the Home In Legal Affairs correspondent here at the BBC. Dominic Cashiani. Hi, Dominic. |
| 1:48.7 | Hello, Adam. Hi. Dominic, what's your take on just how this has played out? The fact that |
| 1:53.5 | the Attorney General is going to refer this to the Court of Appeal and the events over the weekend. |
| 1:59.7 | Well, I think, Adam, to be perfectly frank, this has come about because there's a great |
| 2:02.7 | deal of uncertainty about whether or not the trial judge at Southampton Crown Court has |
| 2:10.4 | done the right thing in how he's handled the case of these three boys. |
| 2:14.5 | And there's clearly, as we now know, a lot of public anger and astonishment at the outcome |
... |
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