Teenage boys sentenced for raping lone girls in Fordingbridge

Three teenage boys have been sentenced after being found guilty of raping two girls in separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, occurring in 2024 and 2025. The assaults were recorded on mobile phones, with the footage showing the boys laughing and encouraging each other verbally, according to prosecutors.

The individuals involved were two boys aged 15 and one aged 14, who were previously convicted of rape during a trial at Southampton Crown Court. The court handed down three-year Youth Rehabilitation Orders with rigorous surveillance and supervision for the two oldest boys, while the youngest is subject to probation supervision lasting eighteen months. During sentencing, Judge Nicholas Rowland emphasized that none of the boys needed to be sent to prison at this time, noting the importance of avoiding unnecessary criminalization and supporting their reintegration into society. He acknowledged the significant influence of peer pressure in their actions.

The first victim was 15 years old when she was raped three times in an underpass by the River Avon during what she believed was a first date. She had traveled to meet one of the boys after initiating contact through Snapchat, only to be confronted by two additional boys. The court heard she was “petrified,” felt “cornered and trapped,” and was afraid she might be thrown into the river. The attackers shared videos of the assault on social media, which led to her receiving abusive messages. At the sentencing hearing, the girl bravely recited a poem expressing her pain, including the line: “All I want to do is die. I no longer have fear for when that comes.”

The second victim, aged 14, met the boys at Fordingbridge Recreation Ground, where she was threatened with a knife before being raped three times in a nearby field. Although no knife was recovered, forensic evidence showed her leggings had been cut by a sharp instrument. Video footage presented in court depicted her lying still on the ground, covering her face with her hands, while an accomplice encouraged the others. In a statement read on her behalf prior to sentencing, she spoke of experiencing nightmares and feeling “ashamed, insecure and uncomfortable” in her own body.

Among the convicted, one of the older boys was found guilty of two counts of rape involving both victims. Another 15-year-old boy was convicted on six counts related to both attacks, and the 14-year-old boy was guilty of two counts of rape from the second incident. Both 15-year-olds were also convicted of taking indecent images of a child. The court imposed a three-month curfew on all three boys and issued a 10-year restraining order preventing any contact with their victims. Due to their ages, their identities have not been released.

Highlighting the broader issue, the Crown Prosecution Service cautioned that sexual offenses involving young people are increasing. Senior prosecutor Siobhan Blake urged society to engage in open and honest discussions with teenagers, emphasizing the need to challenge and counteract misogynistic attitudes. She stated, “There is a real part for all of us to play as citizens to make sure that we have really clear conversations with our teens about misogynistic attitudes and push back really hard on those.

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More