Why did teenage rapists avoid jail?
This Is Why
Sky News
4.0 • 552 Ratings
🗓️ 26 May 2026
⏱️ 16 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Three teenagers who avoided jail over the rape of two girls in Hampshire will now have their sentences reviewed after a judge initially said he wanted to "avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily". One of the victims described the ruling as being like a "rock straight in my face".
The attorney general, Lord Hermer, has announced that the Court of Appeal will review the sentences. His office had received "multiple" requests for the sentences to be reviewed under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
Gareth Barlow speaks to Susan Edwards, Professor of Law at Northumbria University and author of 'Sex and Gender in the Legal Process', about how the decision was reached and what will happen next. Also, Sky’s political correspondent Rob Powell discusses the government's plan to reform the youth justice system.
Warning: This podcast contains references to rape
Have you got a question for This Is Why? Email the show – why@sky.uk
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Sky News, the full story first. |
| 0:11.0 | Three teenage boys convicted of raping two girls have avoided jail sentences. |
| 0:16.5 | It's a decision that provoked outrage and is now going to be reviewed. |
| 0:19.8 | This is why. |
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| 1:26.4 | Hi there. Gareth Barlow here on This Is Why, good to have you with us. |
| 1:30.1 | Just a quick warning that this episode is about rape, so do take care while listening. |
| 1:37.2 | A judge decided that three teenage boys, with 10 rape convictions between them, should not |
... |
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