Fordingbridge Rape Victim Details Ordeal as Perpetrator’s Sentence Faces Review
A teenage girl, one of two victims in a 2022 rape case in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, has disclosed the profound impact of the assault on her life. Her statement comes as the Attorney General’s Office considers whether to refer the sentence of one of the convicted boys to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient.
The perpetrator, who was 15 at the time of the offence and cannot be named for legal reasons, received an 18-month detention and training order. He was found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. A second boy, aged 16, was acquitted of rape but convicted of sexual assault and received a youth rehabilitation order.
The victim described suffering from nightmares, panic attacks, and an inability to trust, leading to a significant alteration of her daily life. She expressed concern that the original sentence for her attacker did not adequately reflect the severity of his actions or the lasting damage inflicted upon her and the other victim.
The Attorney General’s Office confirmed that it received a request for the sentence to be reviewed under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. A decision on whether to refer the case to the Court of Appeal is expected to be made within 28 days of the sentencing date.
